LG elections: ECP files plea in SC for early hearing against PHC order

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has filed a plea in the Supreme Court (SC) for an early hearing of its plea against Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order regarding postponement of the second phase of the LG elections in KP, ARY News reported.

The ECP in its plea said that PHC’s Abbottabad bench ordered the postponement of the second phase of the local government elections. The country’s supreme electoral body has pleaded with the SC to fix the case for an early hearing.

Last week, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) suspended a notification for holding the second phase of local government elections in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and directed the authorities to hold it after the holy month of Ramazan.

Read more: PHC orders to hold second phase of LG elections in KP after Ramazan

The Abbottabad bench of the PHC in its 11-page verdict written by Justice Shakil Ahmed directed to cancel local government elections in the province in March 2022 citing that snowfall in mountainous areas would make it difficult to hold the polls.

The written order had further cited letters written from the Met Office and the provincial government to the ECP in this regard, however, it said that apparently, the ECP failed to fulfil its responsibilities.