ECP postpones LB elections in 81 union councils of Sindh

ISLAMABAD: Following the Supreme Court’s decision of upholding the SHC’s verdict regarding suspension of recently carried out delimitation, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday postponed the Local Bodies elections of 81 union councils of Sindh.

The local government polls were scheduled for Thursday, November 19.

Announcing the decision at a press conference, Secretary Election Commission Babar Yaqub said polls will not take place in 25 union councils of Mirpur Khas, 24 of Hyderabad and 27 union councils of Shaheed Benazir Abad tomorrow.

Elections have also been postponed for six union councils of Tharparkar District, he added.

The polling in Sanghar had already been postponed due to security reasons.

A total of about twenty million voters are expected to exercise their right of franchise in Sindh and Punjab provinces on Thursday.

Earlier, the apex court had issued its verdict on the ECP’s petition regarding postponing elections due to the Sindh High Court’s decision of declaring the new delimitations carried out in the mentioned areas as null and void.

The top court of Pakistan also ruled that the Election Commission was an independent institution and should decide the matter of holding local bodies polls on Thursday on its own.

Controversial decision?

Reacting on the development, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari posted a message on Twitter terming it ‘extremely controversial decision’ the night before the election.

Extremely controversial decision to postpone LB elections in certain UCs ,predominantly in Sindh, the night before the election.

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 18, 2015