The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday approved three petitions to be a party in the case pertaining to amendment in the Sindh Local Government Act. The high court bench approved three pleas, including the chairman Municipal Corporation Mirpur Khas, to be a party in the case. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till November 15. Jamaat Islami’s Hafiz Naeem and others have challenged amendment in Sindh local government law in Sindh High Court (SHC) with regard to election of unelected persons as mayor or chairmen. Jamaat Islami petitioned to the court that the local elections were held under the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 and elected candidates vying for chairmen and mayors’ offices sworn in under the same law.

“An amended law has been passed to facilitate election of unelected persons as chairmen and mayor without taking into account their ineligibility,” JI pleaded. “Under the spirit of the local councils’ law, a mayor should be taken from the elected representatives,” it argued. JI has pleaded to the high court to declare the May 24 notification of the amendment in the law as illegal. Sindh Assembly passed amendment in the Local Government Act in May, also backed by the MQM and GDA members, allowing an unelected person to contest mayor or chairman’s elections and get elected on a local council seat within six months after his/her election.

 Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)