ECP reserves verdict over local council elections in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The election commission reserved its verdict after hearing on the local bodies elections in Islamabad on Tuesday, ARY News reported.

Director General Law of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stressed for an early election of local councils in Islamabad.

“Federal authorities are legislating to grant more powers to the local councils”, Secretary Interior Ministry said in the hearing. “How much time will be required for it,” ECP Member from Balochistan asked. “I am in contact with the Secretary Law, the elections will likely be held in six months,” secretary interior replied.

“Earlier, you had ask for one month and now saying six months,” ECP Member from Sindh remarked.

“Legislation required time, the Cabinet has approved it,” secretary interior said.

“You should give a timeline for election to the election commission,” Balochistan’s member demanded. “We are not delaying deliberately, the instructions will be forwarded to the federal government,” interior secretary said.

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

“According to the new local councils law, six months will be required after approval of the bill,” D.G. Law said.

“You are needed six months for the legislation and six months more for the elections,” Balochistan’s ECP member remarked.

The ECP had earlier decided to give deadlines to the provincial governments to hold local bodies elections using its constitutional and legal authority, sources earlier said.

The sources privy to the matter said that the decision from the election commission came in the backdrop of lack of cooperation from the provincial governments with respect to holding local bodies’ elections.

“The ECP would give a deadline to the provinces to hold elections after provincial governments are not cooperating with it on the matter,” they said adding that the commission had already heard arguments from Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces in various meetings it had held in this regard.