SHC seeks reply from parties in challenge to Sindh delimitations

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed parties to submit reply within one month over delimitations under the Sindh Local Government Act, 2021, ARY News reported.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had recently challenged delimitation of constituencies for local bodies elections under the controversial law in the high court.

MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and others jointly filed a petition in the high court, pleading with the court to invalidate the Sindh government’s Dec 31, 2021 notification regarding delimitation of constituencies for local government elections.

The MQM leaders alleged that delimitation has been carried out on an ethnic basis.

They further requested the high court to order the provincial government to withdraw the impugned notification.

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court had on Feb 1 directed the Sindh government to devolve powers to the local government in the province.

The top court gave this verdict on a petition filed by the MQM-P through which it sought transfer of power to the local bodies in Sindh.

Former chief justice Gulzar Ahmed, who authored the judgement, said that it was the local governments’ prerogative to make and implement master plans. The provincial government cannot start a project which is under the local government’s domain, ruled the SC.