KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday turned down a petition filed by major political parties seeking delay in the local government elections.

The local bodies elections are scheduled in two phases – first on June 26 and the second on July 24. The court also directed the ECP to hold the polls as per the schedule. The top political parties in Sindh province had decided to ask the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to delay local government (LG) elections in the Sindh.

The political parties that agreed to extend local government elections included Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). The parties held a meeting and made this unanimous decision. “The recommendations of the committee will be forwarded to the ECP in the next 48 hours,” they added.