Supreme Court rejects KP govt plea on LG polls

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that it is the mandate of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to give the election schedule and ensure electoral process in accordance with the law.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan and comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi rejected the plea of the KP government, requesting to set aside the new election schedule of March 31 announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the province.

On February, 9, the apex court had suspended the verdict of the Peshawar High Court (Abbottabad Circuit), postponing the second phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), earlier scheduled for March 27 and had issued a notice to the parties for February 14. The petitioners had argued before the court that it would be difficult to hold polling in March in the hilly areas due to extreme cold and snowfall.

On Monday, the court, after rejecting the request of the KP government, sent the matter to the Election Commission of Pakistan with the direction to decide the matter today (Tuesday) after hearing all the parties concerned. The court held that the KP government and other parties should put their stance before the commission and also directed the commission to hear the viewpoints of all the parties and give an appropriate decision.

Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shumail Ahmed Butt opposed the election in the remaining 18 districts on March 31. He contended that the commission did not consult the province before issuing the new schedule for the second phase of elections. The provincial law officer also rejected the stance of the ECP before the Peshawar High Court, adding that the ECP stance was wrong that the court gave the decision without hearing it.

The judge observed that the KP government is looking for escape (from elections). “It is the job of the commission to issue the election schedule and then hold the elections in accordance with the law,” Justice Ahsen remarked.