Mayor polls: ECP issues key order for arrested LG representatives

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued an important order regarding the arrested local government (LG) representatives ahead of elections of the heads of the local councils i.e. mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen and vice-chairmen, ARY News reported on Monday.

The ECP directed the government to provide the right of voting to all elected LG representatives in the upcoming elections for mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen and vice-chairmen of the local councils.

It is pertinent to mention here several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) elected LG representatives have been arrested after May 9 incidents in Sindh.

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The ECP order directed the government to bring all elected LG representatives across Sindh under production order who had been arrested in different cases.

The Election Commissioner (EC) Sindh ordered the provincial chief secretary via a letter to ensure the attendance of all LG representatives in the upcoming polls.

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan had announced the schedule of the mayor and deputy mayor election in Sindh.

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As per details, the election of mayor and deputy mayor will take place on June 15 while the nomination paper can be submitted by June 9-10.

The ECP schedule stated that the Returning Officer will check the nomination papers on June 11 and the finalized list of candidates will be released on June 14.

On June 16, the Returning Officers will announce the results whereas the successful candidates will take oath on June 19.

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The Sindh government had also informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the mayor of Karachi will be elected through a show of hands.

The clarification from Sindh government comes after the election commission had asked local government ministry to inform the election body about the Karachi mayor election process.

The provincial government further said that mayor election will take place through a show of hands method in as per Sindh Local Govt Amendment Act.