Delimitation of constituencies in Sindh: 100pc difference in population of certain UCs, highlights CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial has remarked that legislating with reference to local bodies election is mandate of provincial government.He further remarked some loopholes are being seen during the implementation of provincial law. Can Election Commission (EC) delimit constituencies on its own will by ignoring the loopholes. There is difference of more than 100 percent in the population of certain union committees. The court can only identify loopholes but it cannot change the law. The Election Commission can do only such job which falls in its powers. A procedure is laid down in KP law to determine number of union committees.

A three member bench of Supreme Court (SC) presided over by CJP Umar Bandial took up for hearing MQM petitions against delimitation of constituencies in connection with second phase of local bodies polls in Sindh on Tuesday.

Barrister Farogh Nasim counsel for MQM told the court Sindh government has not evolved procedure regarding number of committees. Seven votes are allocated for mayor on 7 lac population of Orangi town, while 9 votes are allocated against the 4 lac population of Momin Abad. What will be enormous irregularity of Sindh government than this. My arguments depend on one decision of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

Khalid Javed Khan counsel for the local bodies members elected unopposed from Karachi, said if MQM plea is accepted then the delimitation of constituencies of provincial and national assemblies of the entire country will become affected.