Due to flooding and severe rainfall in Sindh, the ECP on Wednesday decided to postpone the second round of municipal elections.
The second phase of the LG elections was scheduled to take place on August 28 (Sunday) in a total of 16 districts: Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta in the Hyderabad division, and East, West, South, Central, Korangi, Keamari, and Malir in the Karachi division.
On the basis of a report from the province election commissioner and district administration, the decision to postpone the elections was made at a high-level ECP meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
According to a news release, the ECP secretary informed the meeting’s attendees that all government, law enforcement, and security organisations were working to distribute food to the impacted areas and assist Sindh’s flood victims.
In their report, the Sindh police stated that around 50,000 police officers were deployed for the polls in the Karachi division, of which 33,000 were present in Karachi and the remainder 16,000 were to be called from other districts to ensure peaceful voting.
It added that even the Rangers and Pakistan Army troops were involved in relief efforts, therefore more police officers could not be sent for the elections due to the current flood crisis.In light of the weather, the lack of law enforcement during the election, logistical issues, public interest, and voter convenience, the CEC decided to postpone the polls.
The press announcement added, “The new date will be announced when the weather improves.
Elections in nine Hyderabad districts had already been postponed by the ECP till the weather improved. Nearly all nine of the deputy commissioners (DC) of the Hyderabad division and one DC of the Malir district of Karachi addressed the ECP on Monday to request a postponement of the local government elections scheduled for August 28.