SHC declines immediate hearing of MQM plea on LG Polls in Sindh

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday declined immediate hearing of a petition of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) over the local government election in Sindh, ARY News reported.

The constitutional petition was filed by Kunwar Naveed Jameel and former chairmen of district municipal corporations (DMCs) regarding the notifications issued by the ECP in April and May announcing the schedule of the LG elections in Sindh.

The election commission issued an amended notification on June 10, the lawyer argued. The MQM sought the court to declare the notification as void.

The bench said the court will not immediate hear any case in pending.

Petitioners lawyer argued that the impugned notifications were issued without lawful authority as at the time of issuance of such notifications the quorum of the ECP was not completed.

He further submitted that the full composition of the ECP was the chief election commissioner and four members from each province, but there were the CEC and only two members, when the schedule was announced.

“The court has issued notices to the parties for their reply but could not issue an immediate stay order against local government elections,” Justice Junaid Ghaffar said.