ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formally cancelled the election schedule for the local government elections in the Punjab and Sindh.
According to media reports, notifications to this effect issued by the commission says that new election schedules will be issued for the conduct of local government elections in the two provinces after taking necessary steps and completion of pre-requisites in due course of time.
Meanwhile‚ Secretary Election Commission Ishtiak Ahmed has said new schedules for local bodies elections in the Punjab and Sindh will be issued after completion of amendment in laws‚ rules and delimitation process.
Talking to the media in Islamabad‚ he said a meeting to review the progress on laws and delimitations will be held on Wednesday. He said before the issuance of new schedules‚ both the provinces will be taken on board.
Earlier, the Supreme Court allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue the new schedule of local government (LG) elections in the Punjab and Sindh.
The court ordered to issue a schedule after finalising all arrangements.The Supreme Court resumed hearing of a case pertaining to the LG polls in Sindh and the Punjab on Monday.
During the course of proceedings, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted its reply in the Supreme Court.In its reply, the ECP said that it was not possible to hold the polls on scheduled dates before July 2015 in Sindh and the Punjab, adding that there was no way other than to cancel the schedule.
The bench later allowed the ECP to make the changes and issue a new schedule. The hearing has been adjourned till the first week of February. The ECP also sought powers equal to high courts to conduct the polls.
According to the old schedule, the ECP announced to hold the LG polls on January 18 and 30 in Sindh and the Punjab respectively.Addressing the media, Election Commission Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed said the schedule for Cantonment, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad had not been changed, adding that nothing could be said about the new dates for Sindh and Punjab at the moment. He said the new dates will be announced after meeting all the formalities.
The ECP secretary also said that Sindh and the Lahore High Court had already declared delimitation of new constituencies null and void.
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