The Peshawar High Court on Friday suspended a notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold the second phase of the local government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 27, citing weather conditions as a reason.

During the hearing at Abbottabad registry, the court directed the authorities hold the polls after the holy month of Ramzan.

The court was hearing a petition filed by elders from Kohistan, and Naran areas, who contended that various districts in the province will be inaccessible due to heavy snow in March, following which the voters would struggle to reach polling stations under severe cold and through snow-covered roads.

“The ECP should therefore hold local bodies elections after Ramzan,” the PHC said in its order.

Earlier this month the ECP had announced the schedule and a code of conduct for the second phase of local government elections in 18 districts of the province.

The PHC in its verdict said that the second phase of elections are to be held mostly in mountainous areas and applicants were of the view that it would be difficult for voters to turn out in large numbers in the harsh winter conditions.

Following the court's order, the ECP has directed returning officers against issuing schedules for the elections and taking any other steps in this regard after a decision from the PHC.