The PHC on Friday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notification to hold the second phase of the local government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 27, and asked the ECP to hold the elections after April, owing to unfavourable weather conditions across the province next month.
As per the details, the PHC’s Abbottabad bench issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by a citizen who contended that various districts in the province would be shut by heavy snow in March, and the voters would struggle to reach polling stations because of the snow-covered roads.
Earlier on January 20, the ECP had announced the schedule and a code of conduct for the second phase of LG polls in 18 districts of the province.
It is to note that the first phase of elections was held in 17 districts on Dec 19.
However, in its order today, Justice Shakeel Ahmed of the PHC’s bench remarked that the authorities were bound to ensure law and order situation and weather conditions were normal in areas where polls were to be held.
“However, the ECP failed to take decisive action despite various letters written by the provincial government and reports submitted by the meteorological department to the ECP for postponement of the second phase of polls in the disturbed area(s),” the court said in its order.
As per the details, the Met office, in letters to the ECP, had predicted snowfall and heavy rains in mountainous areas of the province in the month of March and urged the ECP to review its schedule for the polls.
The court further explained in its order that “there should be a set of laws and rules containing provisions with respect to all matters relying to, or in connection with the election.”
“We, therefore, set aside the impugned Notification No. No.F.16(1)/2021-LGE-KP dated 20.01.2022, and direct the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan to reschedule the Elections after Ramadhan 2022 or as and when the weather is normalized in the aforementioned areas,” the court order concluded.
The PHC stated that it was of a view that fair, free and transparent elections were not possible in the disturbed areas.
After the court’s order, the ECP sent a letter to all returning officers, asking them to not issue any notification pertaining to the LG polls until further orders.
