ISLAMABAD: Even though the conduct of local government elections seems nowhere in sight in near future, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued schedule for delimitation of constituencies in the village and neighbourhood councils of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and establishment of district committees for this purpose.
The ECP issued this schedule in exercise of powers laid down in Punjab Village, Punchayat and Neighbourhood Councils Act 2019 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013, the electoral body said in a statement.
According to the schedule, completion of all the administrative arrangements including procurement of maps and relevant data would be done from July 6 - 25, 2020. Preparation of preliminary list of constituencies by the delimitation committees from July 27 to August 20. Publication of preliminary list of constituencies for inviting representations and objections: August 21.
Filing of representations and objections before the delimitation authorities by the voters concerned: August 22 to September 6. Disposal of representation and objections by the delimitation authorities: till October 5.
Last Date for communication of decision of delimitation authorities to the delimitation committees: October 12. And final publication of list of constituencies by the delimitation committees: October 13, 2020.
On March 18 this year, the electoral body expressed serious concern over non-provision of the required information related to the proposed rules including necessary notifications, maps, chronological order of census blocks of religious minorities, and other related documents and asked the chief secretaries of the Punjab and the KP to provide the required data at the earliest for holding of the LG polls in the provinces as early as possible.
Earlier on February 25, the ECP expressed concern over non-provision of the relevant data by the Punjab, and asked chief secretary Punjab to immediately provide the required data.
The ECP also reviewed Draft Punjab Village Punchayat and Neighbourhood Councils Rules, 2020, and finalised certain observations regarding the proposed rules that deal with the conduct of the LG elections at the village and union council levels in the Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020