ECP rejects CM Bugti’s plea for postponement of local govt polls in Quetta; elections to be held on Dec 28

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected on Wednesday Balochistan Chief Minister SarfrazBugti’s petition seeking the postponement of local government elections in Quetta that were scheduled to be held on December 28.

Bugti had filed the petition on Monday, and informed sources told Dawn that he cited the precarious law and order situation in the provincial capital and the suspension of internet services as reasons for postponing the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation (QMC) elections.

In its written order today, the ECP said the plea was being rejected for “being devoid of force” and that the electoral body had decided to hold local government elections in Quetta on the already scheduled date of Dec 28.

However, in the majority decision, one of the six members of the commission that considered the plea was in favour of the postponement of local government elections.

In its order, the ECP directed the Balochistan government to assist the commission and “all other functionaries who have been entrusted responsibilities for the conduct of local government elections in District Quetta in every possible manner”.

It also instructed that “foolproof security arrangements” be made for the safety and security of voters, contesting candidates, the general public and polling staff, as well as to ensure the smooth conduct of polls in Quetta.

ECP, in its order, noted that the chief minister had filed an appeal on Dec 8 seeking the postponement of elections, stating that elections should be rescheduled to a time when “when weather, security, administrative preparedness, constituency demarcation & voter rolls accuracy are ensured.”

The commission took up the matter on Dec 9 for a review, it said.

Addressing “irregularities” regarding constituency demarcation, ECP clarified that, “the process of delimitation of constituencies was completed after observing all legal processes, i.e. publication of preliminary list of constituencies for inviting proposals, objections on preliminary lists and the same was finalised after hearing and deciding the objections/representations.”

It also recalled a Balochistan High Court (BHC) order, which on October 10, had dismissed petitions filed on the same ground and directed the commission to hold elections “as soon as possible.”

ECP further maintained that “the appellant has wrongly calculated the term of expiry of local government elections in Balochistan”.

“As per Section 26 of the Balochistan Local Government Act, 2010, the term of local government election is for four [years]. In the present case, the members and chairman/vice chairman of union councils, municipal committees and municipal corporations took oath on February 9, 2023, for which the expiry of term is February 9, 2027.

“However, the members and chairman/ vice chairman of district councils took oath on July 6, 2023, for which the term of expiry is July 5, 2027.”

The order added that the commission had “carried out the process of reconciliation of electoral rolls wherever required to adjust voters in accordance with census blocks, wards and delimitation through door-to-door verifications”.

“For the purpose, vide publicity was given to facilitate the voters and inspiring contesting candidates for registration and transfer of their votes,” it said, adding that the election schedule was issued after the completion of this process.

The order noted that ECP had completed the delimitation process “twice” and “after a number of meetings with the provincial government of Balochistan, issued the election programs twice”.

However, the elections could not be held despite “efforts” of the commission, the order noted.

On the matter of law and order situation and harsh weather, the ECP recalled a request made by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in Oct 2021 — on the same grounds — where the Supreme Court (SC) had upheld the electoral body’s decision to proceed with the elections.

The SC directed the provincial government to proceed with the local government elections in the case.

It also noted that the “process of printing of ballot papers has been already started, and [the] maximum number of ballot papers have been printed out.”

In his dissenting note, ECP member Shah Muhammad Jatoi, while agreeing with the commission’s decision on delimitation, electoral rolls and term, maintained that harsh weather conditions could lead to a “low” voter turnout as most residents during December “migrate from the district (Quetta) to [other] districts”. He further noted: “I am also of the considered view that the law and order situation in the province of Balochistan is not conducive for [the] conduct of local government elections in the present scenario.” Staff report