The Supreme Court earlier today directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold local government (LG) elections in Punjab and Sindh on September 20.
In its (landmark) judgment, a three-member bench directed the ECP to hold polls on July 25 in Islamabad and to ensure that the elections take place on prescribed dates, Radio Pakistan reported.
The schedule of LG polls was presented before the SC today (March 10).
Earlier, agreeing to conduct the LG elections in one day, instead of in three phases, a poll official told the apex court that it is possible to hold polls in Sindh and Punjab on September 20 if two new printing machines are provided to print ballot papers.
Upon this, the three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, said it is not the job of the court, adding it is the responsibility of the commission to arrange it in order to fulfill its constitutional obligation by ensuring LG polls.
“Neither we have any personal interest in the local government polls nor the court is against the election commission, but we want the commission to obey the commands of the Constitution,” Justice Khawaja had said in his remarks.
