PESHAWAR: Following in the footsteps of Punjab, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has proposed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) holding of Local Government elections in September this year, sources said on Thursday.

The KP government has proposed September 15 as the date for holding the LG elections.

The Election Commission will hold consultations in a meeting in the first week of February on the proposed date from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

According to the sources, another ECP meeting next week will consider the proposal for the Punjab government.

The sources said the ECP will finalise the election schedule keeping in view the proposed dates from the two provincial governments.

The Election Commission last week had directed the KP government to submit a date and other documents to the ECP within 15 days.

About a week ago, the Punjab government had suggested the Election Commission of Pakistan hold Local Government elections in September this year. The suggestion came in as an ECP meeting chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reviewed the preparations for the Local Government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

The representatives of the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab attended the meeting.

Both the provincial governments were of the view that the reason behind the delay in holding the Local Government elections in the provinces was coronavirus pandemic.

The representatives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab gave a briefing to the ECP regarding the preparations for the Local Government elections. The officials from the Law and Local wings also briefed the ECP on the issue.