The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed on Tuesday local government (LG) elections in Islamabad, which were originally scheduled to be held on December 31, Aaj News reported .

The new date for the polls will be announced later. The elections have been delayed owing to a change in number of union councils in the federal capital.

LG elections in Islamabad: ECP rejects govt’s decision to increase number of UCs

In a hearing on Tuesday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) counsel Ashtar Ausaf argued that the number of union councils in Islamabad was increased from 101 to 125 based on the surge in the population. He also called for changes in constituencies.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja inquired whether the census report had been published.

Ausaf replied that the census bureau had informed about the increase in Islamabad’s population. The petition was lodged by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

On December 20, the Interior Ministry notified an increase in the number of UCs in Islamabad from 101 to 125 under Sections 4(1) and 6(1) of Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015.

LG polls likely to be delayed in ICT

On December 21, the ECP dismissed as being in violation of the law, the federal government’s decision to increase the number of union councils (UCs) in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) from 101 to 125, indicating that the local government elections in ICT would be held on the already announced date of December 31 under the existing arrangement.

This move was strongly criticised by different political and public circles that saw it as a measure to delay the LG polls against the backdrop of increased public popularity of PTI that won most of the recent by-polls of the assemblies.

Section 4(1) states that the government shall, by notification, specify the local area as UCs within the jurisdiction of ICT.

Section 6(1) reads that the government shall, by notification in the official gazette, determine the number of UCs within ICT.