SHC rules against show of hands procedure

Election of LG office holders

Court orders mayor, deputy mayor and other local govt leaders to be elected through secret balloting

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) declared as null and void on Wednesday an amendment to the local government law replacing secret balloting with a show of hands as the procedure for electing mayors, deputy mayors and other local government representatives in the province.

The court ordered that the mayor, deputy mayor and local government representatives be elected through secret balloting.The fourth amendment to the law had been challenged by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other opposition parties. 

MQM’s nominated mayor, Waseem Akhtar, expressing his satisfaction with the verdict, said the court had provided them justice.The Sindh government had claimed that this and other changes to the law were aimed at curbing horse-trading by elected councillors. Last Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan had postponed local government elections to reserved seats in Sindh.