Islamabad: Election Commission of Pakistan today announced their judgement on Second phase of Sindh Local Government elections announcing that polls will take place in Karachi and Hyderabad this month on 15th of January as per schedule.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) petition to postpone elections was rejected by the ECP and ECP accepted the petition of Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) to hold elections on 15th of January. According to the judgment of electoral watchdog polling will be held according to existing voter lists.
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also directed Sindh government to ensure all preparations to completed before polls.
Previously it was expected that Election Commission will postpone LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad as Sindh Government wrote a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan quoting MQM’s stance and concerns related to corrections of voter lists and delimitations of Urban areas of both Karachi and Hyderabad divisions. The letter also stated that MQM has moved Supreme Court of Pakistan for the purpose.
It may be remembered that the second phase of Sindh Local Government elections were supposed to be held in 16 districts Karachi, Hyderabad and Thatta Divisions on July 24 last year.
However, the Sindh government had excused itself from holding the polls over the lack of security and police presence because of the floods however there were no floods in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Later, the local body elections were rescheduled for August 28.
Moreover, as the elections did not take place on that day, the date was again set as October 23. Polls were postponed again and On November 22, 2022 ECP announced that polls for 2nd phase of Sindh Local elections will be held on 15 January 2023.
