Karachi LG polls cannot be delayed anymore: CEC

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has said that conducting elections is the responsibility of the election commission and Karachi local government (LG) polls cannot be delayed anymore.

The CEC heard the petition filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) on the issue of dual electoral lists related to LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad.

During the hearing, the CEC told the MQM-P’s lawyer that he has gone to various forums but never raised this issue before and he also went to the Supreme Court (SC), high court and election commission but this matter has been raised for the first time. If there is any other issue so raise it up today so we can club it to the petition for hearing, he remarked.

The CEC told MQM’s lawyer that you are giving the wrong statement that dual electoral rolls are being used. The CEC rejected the statement that elections are being held on dual electoral rolls. He remarked if he is trying to delay the polls for this reason then his arguments are irrelevant.

Sikandar Sultan Raja said that the Karachi LG elections cannot be delayed anymore as it is the responsibility of the ECP to conduct the polls.

Later, after hearing the arguments, a three-member bench of the Election Commission reserved its decision on the MQM-P’s petition.