SC suspends PHC Abbottabad bench’s decision of postponing second phase of KP LG polls
ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (SABAH): Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday has suspended the decision of Peshawar High Court (PHC) Abbottabad bench’s regarding postponement of second phase of local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) scheduled for 27th March.
A two-member division bench of the apex court, comprising of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ayesha A. Malik heard the case and issued notices to all involved parties.
During the proceedings, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyer Afnan Karim Kundi told the court that PHC had deferred the schedule of the polls without listening to the arguments of the commission. He stated that the notice for the hearing on February 1 was received on February 2 and that the PHC had postponed the local body elections by the time the notice was received by the commission.
The ECP’s lawyer further stated that elections were postponed in all 18 districts, despite the request asking for postponement in the election schedule of only five districts.
Justice Ayesha Malik maintained that the PHC should have heard the ECP’s position before giving the verdict. She further observed that it was not certain that the weather conditions in K-P would hinder the electoral process.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan stated that the report of the Meteorological Department is supposed to be reviewed by the electoral watchdog and not by the court. He further inquired why the PHC was in such a “hurry” to make its decision.
Subsequently, the court issued notices to all parties involved and adjourned the hearing till Monday (February 14).
On February 4, the PHC Abbottabad bench had postponed the next phase of the LG elections, a decision that was welcomed by the Hazara Province Movement, which vowed to field candidates from every district and village council of the Hazara Division, including Battagram, Allai and Torghar.
The high court had directed the electoral body to hold the elections after Ramazan, keeping in view the harsh weather forecast next month.
It is to be mentioned here that the representatives of Kohistan and Naran had filed a plea requesting to defer the polls because of severe weather conditions.
As per the previous schedule, the candidates can submit their nomination papers from February 7 to 11. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be carried out from February 14 to 16. The election symbols would be allotted to the contesting candidates on February 28.