Delimitations for LB polls in Sindh, Punjab: Supreme Court told necessary training to be completed by January 15

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) informed the Supreme Court on Friday that its provincial commissioners in Punjab and Sindh will complete necessary training at district level for delimitation of constituencies by second week of January 2015.
Submitting its report in pursuance of the apex court orders about steps taken for delimitation in both the provinces, the ECP also said that provincial Election Commissioners in Punjab and Sindh have constituted a committee to chalk out exact plan for procurement of necessary material for carrying out the exercise of delimitation.
Hearing a matter relating to Local Bodies (LB) polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh on December 2, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk issued directives to concerned officials of the Punjab and Sindh governments to hold meeting with the ECP and submit progress reports pertaining to holding Local Bodies (LB) polls in their jurisdictions.
"The concerned functionaries of both the governments shall meet the officials of the ECP by December 02 and shall submit co-ordinated interim report on December 08," the court said in its short order. Through the report the ECP assured the apex court to initiate the process of delimitation of LB polls as early as possible after the receipt of notifications of demarcation of local areas, determination of number of councils/wards and authenticated maps from the Punjab and Sindh Governments as well as amendments in the respective Act by both the provincial government.
The ECP said in its report that it had already requested the provincial government of Punjab for provision of notification of demarcation of LB polls and determination of number of local councils and wards of local governments, saying no response has so far been received from the Punjab government.
About delimitation in Sindh province, the ECP apprised the court that during a meeting in pursuance of the court directives in the current matter the Sindh province representatives were informed categorically that the ECP would be unable to start its work of delimitation until certain amendments to the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013 were not made.
"The concerned officials of the Sindh government have assured the ECP that after making necessary amendments to the Act, the same would be notified by the provincial government and will be communicated to the ECP within thirty (30) days," the ECP report said. About conducting LB polls in the Cantonment Boards, the ECP submitted that an exclusive meeting would be held to resolve anomalies in the draft Ordinance with the Boards authorities on December 6, 2014.