• (ECP) special secretary stated that constituency delimitation had been done twice.
• CEC Raja asked the chief secretary to guarantee LG elections under the new law.
• “No government is willing to conduct LG elections,” he said.

CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja said no Punjab government would hold local government elections. The News reported that a three-member bench headed by the chief election commissioner heard a petition about local government elections in the province.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) special secretary stated that constituency delimitation had been done twice in the province and would be done again.

He added, “A roll copy is needed.”

Acting Punjab Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal told the commission that the demarcation will be completed soon and that 25,000-person constituencies will be created.

The CEC said, “The Punjab government should provide us with the required documents.” Demarcation for the third time was serious.

“The Punjab schedule will be issued today if the ECP can conduct the local government elections as per the previous rules,” he added. CEC Raja asked the chief secretary to guarantee LG elections under the new law.

“No government is willing to conduct LG elections,” he said, ordering the provincial secretary to write to the Supreme Court.

Sumbal informed the electoral watchdog that the Punjab Assembly passed a new bill that will become law in 10 days. Follow the new law. “We’ll follow the timeline,” he added.

“Are you intentionally adding EVMs to create problems?” CEC Raja asked, dissatisfied with the explanation.

The CEC called it a stunt.

He requested Sumbal’s political guidance. “Will we order Punjab local body elections?” he asked.

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