LG polls in Karachi, Hyderabad to be held per schedule on Jan 15: ECP.

ISLAMABAD -- The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Monday rejected the plea of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and ruled that the local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad will be held as per schedule on January 15.

The MQM-P had challenged the decision of the ECP for the prospective use of two separate electoral rolls in the local government polls simultaneously.

A three-member bench of the electoral body, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, reserved the verdict on Friday.

Jamaat-e-Islami had also approached the Election Commission seeking the holding of polls according to the schedule, postponed multiple times for one reason or another.

Announcing the verdict, the ECP directed the authorities to ensure that elections are held on time.

During the last hearing, the chief election commissioner told the MQM-P lawyer that he has gone to various forums, however, the issue of electoral rolls was never raised before.

He told the lawyer to raise any other issue so that they can be clubbed.

The CEC further remarked that the lawyer is giving a wrong statement regarding the dual electoral rolls, rejecting his statement.

"You think you can get the elections postponed again? Your arguments are irrelevant so...