Cantonment boards: ECP holding LG polls on party basis without amending rules

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued notifications on holding local government elections in cantonments on a party basis without amending the Cantonments Local Government (Election) Rules, 2015.
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the elections in Cantonment Board must be held on party basis. President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab Ijaz Chaudary along with five others had filed a petition against the decision of holding local body elections on a non-party basis in LHC.
Former Secretary ECP Kanwar Dilshad pointed out that the LHC issued directives to ECP for holding LG elections on a party basis; and the situation now underscored the need for making certain amendments in the Act and rules of Cantonments Local Government Rules 2015. It is the responsibility of ECP to amend the Elections Act and rules after it carries out delimitation exercise in the cantonments.
He further said the commission should send proposed amendments in Act and rules of polls in cantonments to President of Pakistan. The President has the authority to approve amendments in election laws; otherwise it is only a directive of LHC and challengeable in court of law.
Countering the arguments, an official of ECP said the commission is of the view that the LHC has ruled that elections be held on a party basis, and the ruling is itself a legal document which does not need any further amendments in Cantonments Local Government Rules 2015. He further stated that it is the responsibility of Military Lands and Cantonments (ML&C) to challenge the verdict of a high court or propose amendments to the act according to the rulings of LHC.
A former employee of cantonments management told Business Recorder that the higher courts are pushing for party-based polls and the military in the areas under its controls is showing resistance. Most cantonments across Pakistan have become residential areas where civilians reside along with military personnel, he said.
The party-based polls will now take place countrywide, excluding the Islamabad Capital Territory. As per the bill passed in the National Assembly recently, the federal capital would have non-party polls.
In a latest development, the commission has asked candidates to establish their affiliation with a political party. Earlier, Punjab government had announced holding of elections on a non-party basis due to which candidates filed their papers without mentioning their party affiliation. Each candidate has to confirm his/her affiliation with a party and after scrutiny of papers, a party symbol will be allotted, said another official of the ECP.
As many as 390 candidates filed their nomination papers for local government elections in two cantonment boards in Rawalpindi district.
As the date for filing nomination papers is over, the returning officers appointed by the chief election commissioner will complete the scrutiny of papers till Saturday. Elections will be held in five cantonment boards in Rawalpindi district - Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Wah, Taxila and Murree.