SC issues final schedule of local bodies elections

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday issued an order regarding the schedule of local bodies (LB) elections in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the cantonment boards.

According to the order, LB elections will be held on April 25 in the 43 cantonment boards and on May 30 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Read: SC accepts LG poll schedule for cantt boards, KP

During the hearing of the case on local government elections on Friday, a three member bench of the apex court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit written schedule of LB polls in Islamabad by March 10.

The earlier date proposed by ECP for LB polls was May 16 in the cantonment boards and June 7 for KP.

The court had earlier rejected the schedule for holding LG polls in Punjab and Sindh in three phases starting from Sept 30, Nov 4 and Dec 9.

Polls in Sindh and Punjab on Sep 20: ECP

ECP on Friday assured the Supreme Court about conducting LG elections in Punjab and Sindh on September 20, Radio Pakistan reported.

The Supreme Court earlier on Tuesday came close to issuing a contempt notice to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after it rejected a government plea stating that an ordinance to hold local government elections in all 43 cantonment boards of the country was ready.

Know more: Violation of LG poll verdicts irks SC

“We are deliberately exercising caution and restraint by not issuing contempt notices to the chief executive, but the court will not show reluctance in fulfilling its constitutional obligations if it is established that judgment was flouted,” a two-judge bench headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja had observed.

The court had in several proceedings accepted the government’s request to extend the deadline for holding the elections in cantonment areas. It had also proceeded against former defence secretary retired Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik under contempt charges for not honouring his undertaking to hold the elections in cantonment areas by Sept 15, 2013.

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Comments (21) Closed

hussain haqqani

Mar 06, 2015 12:21pm

Oh we have courts!

Recommend 0

hussain haqqani

Mar 06, 2015 12:24pm

Functional judiciary and proper legislation can play a vital role in pakistans survival.

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AJamal

Mar 06, 2015 12:24pm

What a slap on the faces of these so called "democrats" PML-N & PPP who did their best to ensure all power is kept within the family.

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Iqbal Aftab

Mar 06, 2015 12:31pm

Well Done, Supreme Court! especially Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, so Sir, please keep up the Good work and make it done and Do stand by your verdict otherwise, the people seems to be doubtful on the system where there is No Rule of Law in the Country, The LB Elections should be carried out on due date and No lame excuses afterwards and make it sure that if LB Elections is further postponed, the Responsible Ones should be punished without any biased whosoever. Make the Law & Constitution supreme by showing the implementation of the verdict of such a supreme body of the country. Highly appreciated for the Timely Justice.

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hussain haqqani

Mar 06, 2015 12:44pm

Who cares in this bannan state what courts thinks

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hussain haqqani

Mar 06, 2015 12:45pm

Courts verdicts are only a daily rutin.

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hussain haqqani

Mar 06, 2015 12:47pm

Their would be another Pakistan if judiciary have been neutral and active.

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yousaf raza

Mar 06, 2015 12:53pm

@hussain haqqani supreme court send me home.

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sherren mizari

Mar 06, 2015 12:57pm

@yousaf raza But what about Ayaz saddiq who have been behind courts stay orders.

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Parvez

Mar 06, 2015 12:59pm

The SC has moral authority....the POLITICIANS have practical authority......guess who wins ?

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KeyPoints

Mar 06, 2015 01:01pm

No local body elections for SEVEN years? What a joke? Where all the MONEY is going? Whose pockets are being filled with MONEY? Who are the people giving long empty speeches? Why everage person suffering day in day out, lacking local services? Are people being fooled? What is the difference between democracy and chori-cracy?

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Shahid Bajwa

Mar 06, 2015 01:11pm

Local bodies are the entrance gate for the middle class into politics. MNA/MPA elections can only be afforded by millionaire families. No fresh face can enter politics because super-rich families keep seats for generations. Local bodies allow new persons to enter politics at an affordable cost and show their ability as mayor/nazim. Presidents of Turkey and Iran were mayor of their cities before entering higher politics.

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illmatic

Mar 06, 2015 01:14pm

I think the danda is necessary in South Asia to get things done. Supreme Court of India in 1992 passed a very similar order, making it mandatory to hold LG polls, as the political leadership them wasn't willing to do so. Sad that we're 20 years behind India.

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Zahid

Mar 06, 2015 02:07pm

As they ultimately did not issue contempt notice and they are under the impression they have befooled the masses by staging drama for couple of days. What a sham judiciary we have?

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jehanzeb

Mar 06, 2015 04:08pm

LB elections are necessary. In Karachi people remember the periods of Naimatullah Khan and Mustaf Kamal. It was Naimatullah Khan who laid the foundation for the development of Karachi and increased the budget of CDGK no. of times

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KAlam

Mar 06, 2015 04:56pm

Finally a welcome decision in the interest of public.

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Ahsan Ali

Mar 06, 2015 06:29pm

Salute to the Supreme Court of Pakistan for fixing dates for the local bodies elections. Hopefully these dates would be adhered to. We need to become civilised citizens and pull the country out of ignorance and help the poor people to lead respectful lives.

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Pakistan First

Mar 06, 2015 07:06pm

They want to buy lap tops through own contractors, distributes through daughter and son, they have their own accountants, and they have their own auditors. So we cannot expect any good from Mughal Shehnshahs.

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IMRAN ALI

Mar 06, 2015 07:27pm

cases of treason under article 6 should be initiated against PPP and PML-N for violating constitution by not holding election of L.B. on time

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Abdullah Yousuf

Mar 06, 2015 09:50pm

Thanks to SC.Now people are looking forward for a timely implementation of SC Order.

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Ashok Kumar

Mar 09, 2015 09:54am

The SC should issue notice to CM of both provinces on 10 march’s hearing if ECP raises a matter of interruption in process of delimitation by Sindh & Punjab. May Allah give more strength to our SC.

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Polls in Sindh and Punjab on Sep 20: ECP

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