ISLAMABAD: The local government polls have been delayed in the federal capital after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Wednesday, informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it had decided to conduct fresh delimitation upon 101 newly-constituted Union Councils.

The ECP stated this in its report submitted to the IHC bench during the hearing of a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) petition challenging the Commission’s notification regarding the Islamabad LG elections.

The IHC bench in its written verdict in this matter expected that the Commission will complete the process of delimitation of 101 Union Councils within the period specified under section 7 of the Act of 2015 i.e. 65 days.

In absence of notification issued by govt: ‘ECP not empowered to issue LG polls schedule’

However, the commission also prayed before the bench in its report that necessary direction may be issued to the Federal Government not to bring out further changes in law and number of councils and for proper assistance may be provided by the Federal Government to the ECP for smooth conduct of Local Government Elections as to avoid frustration of process of election comprising of delimitation etc. which not only involves the loss of public exchequer and also violation of the Command of Constitution and Law and the judgment of the apex court reported in 2021 which requires such election to be within the time frame of 120 days.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022