ISLAMABAD: What implies, yet again, the postponement of the long-delayed local government polls in the federal capital, the electoral body has notified to “hold in abeyance” the 9 October elections’ schedule “till further orders.”
“Consequent upon the recent amendments made by the parliament in the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015, through the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Act 2024, dated 30 August 2024, the Election Commission of Pakistan has decided to hold in abeyance, the election programme issued vide its notification of even number dated 20.08.2024 for conduct of local government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory, till further orders,” read a notification issued by the ECP on Wednesday.
According to a senior ECP official, the electoral entity decided to hold in abeyance the LG polls schedule till further orders, instead of clearly announcing the postponement of the LG elections, keeping in view that the related case is still undecided by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
ECP to consider Islamabad LG polls matter next week
In case the IHC decides against or suspend the new law, and directs the ECP to hold the LG polls as per the existing schedule, then the polls would be held on October 9, the official, requesting anonymity, stated.
“But chances are slim,” the source said.
Practically, fresh delimitation for Islamabad LG polls would require to be launched after the new law has taken effect, the official said.
As many as 375 new general wards would require to be established if the ECP launches fresh delimitation exercise for LG polls in ICT following the recent promulgation of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Act 2024, the source added.
The ICT has 125 union councils comprising 750 general wards with each UC comprising six general wards.
The new LG law increases the number of general members in each UC from six to nine. Given that each general ward has one general member, the number of general wards in each of 125 UCs would require to be increased from 750 to 1125 wards—with the creation of 375 new general wards, it is learnt.
This 10 July, the ECP informed the IHC that the LG elections in the federal capital would finally be held on 29 September — after a prolonged delay of over three years.
On 8 August, the poll body formally announced to hold the LG polls in ICT on 29 September, and issued the related schedule. On 20 August, the ECP revised ICT LG polls date to 9 October, saying, the decision was taken on the request of different political parties and candidates in order to facilitate their inclusion in the electoral process.
The ICT LG term expired on 14 February 2021 but the electoral body failed to hold the LG elections in ICT within the 120-day stipulated period under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017. This law provides that the ECP shall hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of LGs’ term of a province, cantonment or the ICT.
The current scenario involving the LG elections postponement appears to be a repetition of December 2022 when the ECP postponed the LG elections that were scheduled on 31 December 2022 on the request of the then federal government after the then parliament passed a bill to increase the number of UCs in ICT from 101 to 125, a move that allegedly aimed at postponing the LG elections.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.