The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved on Tuesday its verdict in the local bodies elections case, Aaj News reported.

Director-General Law of the ECP stressed on holding early elections of local councils in Islamabad, stating that the federal government should be asked to complete the arrangement of polls as soon as possible.

“Federal authorities are legislating to grant more powers to the local councils”, the interior ministry secretary said during the hearing.

An ECP member from Balochistan asked how much time will be required for it. “I am in contact with the secretary law, the elections will likely be held in six months,” the interior secretary replied.

ECP takes firm step towards holding LG polls

When an ECP member from Sindh contended that the interior secretary had earlier asked for one month and was now asking for six, the secretary responded that legislation required time, adding that the cabinet has approved it.

“You should give a timeline for election to the ECP,” Balochistan’s member demanded.

The interior secretary replied that they are not delaying deliberately, saying that instructions will be forwarded to the federal government.

“The election commission will soon issue its decision with regard to the local council's election in Islamabad,” Sindh’s member said.

“According to the new local council's law, six months will be required after approval of the bill,” DG law said.

ECP forms committee

Two months ago, the ECP formed a committee that would review different options including the proposal to assign the provinces the complete responsibility of organising the LG polls if ECP's reliance on provinces regarding LG elections is not reduced through parliamentary legislation.

The committee was assigned the task to deliberate on the causes of delay in LG polls, the role of provincial governments in this regard, ECP's constitutional responsibilities regarding LG elections, and related issues.

Delimitation of constituencies for LG polls: ECP to take help from ministries, AGP

The committee was mandated to consider the option that the responsibility of holding LG polls be completely shifted to provincial governments if reliance of ECP on provincial governments for LG polls cannot be reduced.

The ECP and provinces were entangled in serious differences over the LG polls issue. The commission has, time and again, pressed on the provinces to play their role for holding the LG elections but the federating units apparently showed reluctance in this regard.