MQM-P moves SHC against delimitation process for local bodies poll

The Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan on Thursday challenged the constitution of delimitation committees and the process of delimitation for local bodies election in Sindh by the provincial election commission in the Sindh High Court.

MQM senior deputy convener Amir Khan, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and others submitted in the petition that the provincial election commissioner had formed election committees for the delimitation of local bodies constituencies and carried out the delimitation process in violation of the election commission’s laws.

They submitted that the election commission was required to carry out delimitation after every census officially published by the competent authority and it was pertinent to mention that the final result of the 2017 Census was not officially published.

They submitted that the delimitation of the constituencies in absence of any official publication could not be possible under the election and delimitation laws.

They submitted that the results of the 2017 Census had not been published which meant that they were still disputed and even subjudice before the court of the law and other relevant

forums.

They said the election authorities acted to proceed with the delimitation process in absence of any statutory sanction that amounted to hoodwinking the law and circumventing the mandatory provisions.

They submitted that the constitution of delimitation committees and the process of delimitation of local bodies constituencies were violative of the election and delimitation laws as well as directions of the superior courts in delimitation cases.

They also questioned the constitution of committees in absence of officials of the statistical bureau or census bureau. They said the delimitation committees and their exercise, if any carried out, were of no legal effect for the reasons that law did not permit the delimitation to take place on the basis of the provisional result.

They submitted that the delimitation exercise during the coronavirus pandemic could not be possible and instead of appointment of administrators, the local government tenure should be extended for further six months.

The court was requested to declare the constitution of the committees for delimitation of local bodies constituencies illegal and restrain them from carrying out delimitation process for the local bodies constituencies in the province till a decision on the petition.