ECP Rejects Petition to Postpone Quetta Local Government Elections

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officially rejected a petition filed by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti seeking the postponement of local government elections in Quetta, which are scheduled for December 28. The ECP, in its majority decision, ruled the plea as “devoid of force.”

Grounds for Postponement Sought by CM Bugti

Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti’s petition, filed on Monday, cited several factors necessitating a delay, including:

1. Law and Order: The precarious security situation in the provincial capital.
2. Internet Services: The suspension of internet services.
3. Weather and Logistics: Harsh weather conditions, administrative preparedness, and concerns over constituency demarcation and voter roll accuracy.

ECP’s Rationale for Rejection

The ECP issued a written order detailing its reasons for upholding the original schedule, stating that all legal processes had been followed:

• Delimitation and Voter Rolls: The ECP clarified that the process of constituency demarcation and reconciliation of electoral rolls was completed after observing all legal procedures, including public review (inviting proposals and hearing objections/representations).
• Constitutional Mandate: The ECP recalled that the Balochistan High Court (BHC) had previously dismissed similar petitions on October 10 and directed the commission to hold elections “as soon as possible.”
• Term of Local Government: The ECP corrected the appellant’s calculation of the term expiry. It confirmed that the term for municipal bodies and union councils expires in February 2027, and for district councils in July 2027, therefore the commission is within its rights to proceed.
• Logistical Readiness: The ECP noted that the process of printing ballot papers was already underway, with the maximum number of papers already printed.
• Legal Precedent: The commission cited a similar request from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in October 2021, where the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the ECP’s decision to proceed with elections and directed the provincial government to assist.

ECP Directives to Balochistan Government

While rejecting the postponement, the ECP issued strict instructions to the Balochistan government to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the polls:

• The provincial government must assist the commission and all functionaries entrusted with election responsibilities “in every possible manner.”
• “Foolproof security arrangements” must be implemented for the safety of voters, candidates, the public, and polling staff.

Dissenting Opinion

One of the six commission members, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, submitted a dissenting note. While he agreed with the majority on the issues of delimitation, electoral rolls, and the term of government, he maintained that:

• Voter Turnout: Harsh weather conditions in December could lead to a “low” voter turnout, as many residents migrate from Quetta during this month.
• Security Situation: The overall law and order situation in Balochistan was deemed “not conducive” for the conduct of local government elections in the present scenario.

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Background Context

The Quetta LG elections will see 2,710 candidates contesting for seats across 172 union councils and 641 wards. The previous local bodies completed their tenure back in January 2019. The significant delay in holding fresh polls—which should legally occur within 120 days of the term expiry—was attributed to prolonged litigation over ward delimitation and a lack of political consensus on amendments to the Balochistan Local Government Act, 2010.