LAHORE, Pakistan: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered to hold local bodies’ elections in the Punjab’s cantonment board on party basis.
In his short order issued for the Election Commission
of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah ruled that conducting polls on non-party basis was unconstitutional and contrary to article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The LHC judge ruled that holding polls on party basis would not cause any delays in the election schedule.
The verdict came in response to various petitions filed in the LHC challenging LB polls in cantonment areas of Punjab scheduled to be held on non-party basis.
The petitioners had maintained that holding non-party elections negates the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined in the constitution.
The local government elections in 43 cantonment boards across the country are scheduled to take place on April 25.
In the scheduled issued by the ECO on March 20 for local government elections, it was stated that nomination papers would be received by the returning officers from March 29 to 31.
The scrutiny of nomination papers would be conducted from April 2 to 4 while appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers would be received by April 6.
Likewise, April 9 would be the last date for the withdrawal of candidature and a final list of candidates along with their election symbols would be published the following day.
