Summary The ECP had informed the court that preparation for LB polls will take another four months.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Supreme Court has rejected plea file d by Election Commission of Pakistan for the extension in date of Local Government elections due time required for printing of ballot papers.
However, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said Punjab‚ Balochistan and Sindh had made all preparations for conducting Local Bodies elections.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan filed detailed reply in Supreme Court over preparations for the Local Bodies polls informing the court that preparation for holding polls would take four months.
The reply said 400 million ballot papers were required for the LB polls in Punjab and Sindh, adding that printing of ballot papers in such large quantity in such short period was not possible.
The ECP took the plea in the reply that the institutions which had to print ballot papers and make magnetic ink have sought four months period.
It may be mentioned that SC had very strictly directed ECP last month that LB polls be held in the month of November or first or second week of December. ECP had sent letters to all the four provincial governments for conducting LB polls.
The chief secretaries on behalf of the provinces told the Election Commission the provinces have not completed their work in terms of preparations of electoral lists and delimitations and provinces need some time in this regard.
The ECP started consultation process with all the institutions with regard to LB polls and following the conclusion of consultation process.
Later, the ECP filed a detailed reply to the Supreme Court informing that it needed another four months for necessary preparations.
