SC hears ECP request to defer provincial LB polls

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme court on Tuesday heard the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) plea to to postpone holding local body (LB) elections in Punjab and Sindh by at least a month. A three-member bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja held hearing of the case. The SC issued notice to Sindh Advocate General for not appearing before the court. The court said that there is no reason to file a case’s delay plea. The bench said that LB polls matter is a legal and people of both the provinces are waiting for elections since 2009. Justice Dost Muhammad said that the government did not conduct any study to avoid destruction through floods. He said that if the SC permits elections in October, the government would be facing some other problem when the time comes. However, the ECP representative said that if the authorities are permitted to hold LB polls phase-wise then flood-hit areas would come last in the matter. The court adjourned the hearing until August 12 and ordered ECP to file recommendations.