ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled the first phase of local government elections in Punjab for February 7, approving the provincial government’s request to hold the polls after January 20.
The government had asked the commission to conduct the elections in January or February and sought permission to hold them in phases. It said December’s fog and the difficulty of arranging polling for ECP staff made winter dates challenging.
At a hearing earlier Thursday, a four-member ECP bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reserved its decision on the request. Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq, the chief secretary and the local government secretary appeared before the bench.
Raja noted that the provincial government had previously agreed to hold the elections between December 15 and January 15. The chief secretary said the government had since reconsidered its position, adding that shorter winter days could make it harder for voters to reach polling stations.
An ECP member also recalled that the province had initially proposed holding the elections in April. The chief secretary said April would offer longer, sunnier days, but the government was now prepared to hold the polls in January or February.
