ECP postpones LG polls in Karachi again

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday decided to postpone the local government elections in Karachi for the third time, owing to non-availability of required number of security forces for static duty during the poll.

In this connection, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over the second meeting of the commission within two days, which was attended by members of the Election Commission, secretary Election Commission and special secretary Election Commission. LG polls were fixed for October 23 in the mega city.

The secretary Election Commission briefed the forum that a meeting of the Election Commission was held on October 11, 2022 regarding the peaceful conduct of local bodies elections in Karachi, which was attended by secretary interior, defence, chief secretary Sindh, IGP Sindh, representatives of Pakistan Army and Rangers.

In this meeting too, the chief secretary and IGP Sindh had requested that since the police force was insufficient, the static duty should be assigned to the Pakistan Army and Rangers at the polling stations. On October 14, the chief secretary Sindh had requested the Election Commission that most of the polling stations in Karachi Division are either very sensitive or sensitive.

In addition, he explained the Sindh government has a shortage of 16,785 police personnel, so the election should be postponed for three months. Otherwise, the shortage of 16,785 personnel should be met as a status duty through the deployment of Pakistan Army and Rangers for peaceful conduct of elections.

On its part, he pointed out, the Election Commission made every possible effort to ensure the conduct of local bodies elections in Karachi and held a meeting with the secretary Interior Ministry on October 17, so that the shortage of police force should be met and local bodies elections could be held in Karachi. On this, the Interior Ministry has informed in writing that due to the shortage of police force, the Pakistan Army and Rangers cannot perform static duties at the polling stations. However, as before, these forces will be available as Quick Response Force (QRF).

After deliberations, the meeting decided that in the given circumstances, the Election Commission has no option but to postpone the local bodies elections in Karachi for the time being as peaceful conduct of elections and protection of voters was its top priority.

In this regard, the Election Commission decided that after 15 days, it will meet again in which feedback will be taken from the provincial government and other law enforcement agencies, so that the local bodies elections in Karachi could be held as soon as possible and peacefully, and the date of the election can be decided.

The Ministry of Interior wrote back to the Election Commission, addressing its Secretary Omar Hamid Khan with reference to the conduct of 2nd phase of local government polls in Karachi and stated that the matter for deployment of CAFS (Rangers)/Army troops on static mode was taken up with MO Dte, GHQ, to conduct the 2nd Phase of Local Government Election in Karachi Division.”

In response, the ministry said MO Dte, GHQ, has stated that as discussed during the meeting on 11th October 2022 at the Election Commission with respect to smooth conduct of elections, respective provincial home departments are responsible for providing requisite troops/ police component for 1st tier response/ static deployment at polling stations while Civil Armed Forces (CAFs) and Pakistan Army can only provide Quick Reaction Forces (QRFS) for 2nd and 3rd tier response, respectively.

“Apropos, given their other commitments with respect to border duties and ongoing flood relief operations, the required 16,786x troops of CAF and Pakistan Army for static deployment as 1st tier response cannot be made available. CAF and Pakistan Army troops can, however, be made available for deployment in QRF mode and 2nd/3rd tier responders as already in practice,” he said.

In view of the position, it is requested that Election Commission of Pakistan may decide on the subject matter in consultation with Government of Sindh, please. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan Tuesday asked the Punjab government to enact a local government law within seven days or the local government polls would be held on the basis of the old law.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard a petition regarding the local bodies elections in Punjab. Special Secretary Election Commission told the bench that on December 31, 2021, the term of local government of Punjab ended. On April 14, 2022, the Election Commission issued the schedule for local bodies elections in Punjab but the Lahore High Court stayed it. The Punjab government, he noted, has just issued an ordinance for the new local bodies elections but the ordinance or its rules have not been shared with them.

The chief election commissioner said that “we have done delimitation twice, expenses have been incurred on it. These expenses should be recovered from the Punjab government, contempt action should be taken against the Punjab government and estimates of expenses should be told.”

The special secretary Election Commission said that earlier there was village and neighbourhood council in Punjab, which has been changed. “Now they have brought union council in Punjab.”

ECP Secretary Omar Hameed Khan said that funds were not provided for the local bodies elections and a meeting was held with the chief secretary in this regard. To this, the chief secretary Punjab said that the Punjab government is waiting for the NFC share from the federal government while the Punjab Assembly was in session. “The local government ordinance will become a local government law. Right now there is just a matter of electronic voting machine which is being discussed,” he said.

The chief election commissioner said that there has been an investigation into electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the world. “Only two countries, Brazil and India, are using EVMs. The Brazilian representative had told the commission that it would be a miracle to conduct the 2023 election on EVMs.”

The chief election commissioner added that it cannot be that we hold elections on EVMs in passion and spread chaos all over the country. He said the Punjab government wants to spread anarchy. “Polling stations are in great numbers in the local bodies elections. Now we fall into the cycle of EVMs, which can be a political statement. If the election is spoiled, someone will take responsibility.”

He wondered, “Can we hold the local bodies elections on the old law of Punjab? The Punjab government has not had a local government for 10 months, no government wants to hold the local bodies elections. Now we will not hold any further meeting with the Punjab government. We will decide today we are sending a reference to the Supreme Court that the Punjab government is not conducting the local bodies elections. The Punjab government is not implementing the orders of the Supreme Court and contempt of court action should be taken.”

The chief election commissioner contended that he would write all the details in the letter to the Supreme Court that the Punjab government was not taking the local bodies elections seriously, the Punjab government was violating the Constitution, law and orders of the Supreme Court.

Later, the Election Commission bench adjourned the hearing till October 27. Meanwhile, the Election Commission also decided that polling in NA-45 constituency of Kurram district will be held now on October 30, 2022: instructions are being issued to all institutions to complete the necessary arrangements in this regard. Previously, by-poll in the district was due on October 16.

In reaction to the postponement of LG polls in Karachi, PTI Senior Vice-President Dr. Shireen Mazari tweeted and posted news channels reports on polls postponement in Karachi and the chief election commissioner writing to the Supreme Court about alleged non-seriousness of the Punjab government towards the LG polls.

She accused the chief election commissioner of being biased and working for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. She tweeted, “If there was any doubt at all of the bias embedded in present ECP led by a CEC, who is now effectively working for PML-N & Imported Government, this should remove that doubt. This duality of approach, shown below, has no rationality behind it at all”.