ECP issues detailed verdict on Islamabad LG polls postponement

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday issued a detailed verdict on the postponement of local government elections in Islamabad, ARY News reported.

As per details, the detailed verdict stated that it’s the jurisdiction of the federal government to decide the number of Union Councils and ECP is bound for the delimitation accordingly.

The local government laws have been sent to the President after amendment by the parliament. The mayor will be directly elected now on the election day, the detailed verdict stated.

Hereby, the ECP postponed the local government election.

Earlier, Islamabad high court (IHC) declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to increase Islamabad Union councils (UCs) null and void.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) to hear the arguments from all the parties in this case again.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government had increased the number of union councils (UCs) in Islamabad 10 days before the scheduled polling day for local government elections, surprising candidates as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The Election Commission then delimited the constituencies and issued a new schedule for local government elections in Islamabad after a previous increase in the number of union councils.

The ECP had announced holding the local government elections in the federal capital on December 31.