Balochistan’s BHC dismissed a petition to postpone local body elections.
The constitutional petitions filed seeking a postponement in the local body elections in Balochistan were dismissed by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Rozi Khan Barech.
In its decision, the court stated that the Pakistani Election Commission was prepared to hold local government elections according to the specified timeline.
The court stated that because there is now no impediment to holding these elections on the schedule announced on March 23, 2022, the constitutional petitions filed seeking a delay in the local body elections are dismissed.
Despite the Balochistan government’s appeal to postpone local government elections, the ECP has begun planning for the polls to take place in the province.
Balochistan LG Secretary Imran Gichki has written to the ECP, requesting that LG elections be held until July 15, however the provincial electoral commission has asked district officials to begin accepting candidacy papers from April 15 to April 18.
Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, met with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in Islamabad to discuss his government’s position on holding LG elections in the state.
“We have compelling grounds to postpone LG elections until July 15,” he explained to Mr Raja, adding that Balochistan’s LG elections should be held in a single phase.
