The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected on Tuesday the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s request for an extension for the conduct of local government elections.
The electoral watchdog has written to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief secretary, directing that immediate steps be taken to hold the local body polls. The provincial government had sought time ahead of the elections, citing the need for fresh legislation and the prevailing law and order situation.
According to the letter, consultation with the provincial government is not essential for delimitation. The stance that weather conditions and security concerns posed obstacles to delimitation has also been dismissed, with the ECP terming the provincial government’s position unsatisfactory.
The ECP said that preliminary delimitation can proceed even without a fresh census or updated electoral rolls. It added that it remains constitutionally bound to conduct local government elections and instructed the provincial authorities to expedite the delimitation process.
