ECP seeks ban on LG Act amendments before fresh polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked the federal government to pass legislation to ban amendments in the local government (LG) act before the organisation of new polls, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Sources told ARY News that the ECP wrote a letter to the federal government to legislate for stopping the postponement of the LG polls. It stated that the amendment of the LG Act should not be made three months before the expiry of local bodies’ tenure.

The recommendations were forwarded by the ECP to the federal government to stop the postponement of the LG polls across the country. The letter also stated that legal amendments to the LG Act wasted the preparations of the ECP.

READ: ECP ISSUES DETAILED VERDICT ON ISLAMABAD LG POLLS POSTPONEMENT

The commission urged for passing a law which restricts the government to complete LG-related legislation three months before the expiry of the local bodies’ tenure.

Sources said that the election commission is bound to follow the LG Act in accordance with the Constitution.

It was learnt that the commission suggested the Centre amend Article 140-A and clause 219 of the Election Act 2017. The legislation will bind the concerned authorities to timely complete LG-related legislation.

It will also allow the ECP to hold fresh LG polls within the timeframe of four months after the expiry of LG tenure.

READ: IHC DISPOSES OF PTI’S PLEA CHALLENGING POSTPONEMENT OF ISLAMABAD LG POLLS

The ECP also sought the completion of the LG Act amendments one year before the conclusion of the local bodies’ tenure.

It is pertinent to mention here that the election commission postponed the LG elections in Islamabad after the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) sought to delay the polls on the pretext of an increase in the number of union councils (UCs).

Moreover, Karachi Local Government (LG) polls are likely to be postponed for the seventh time as the Sindh government wrote another letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The opinion of the Advocate General (AG) Sindh was also included in the letter regarding the changes in the LG delimitation.

It is pertinent to mention here that the new phase of the Sindh LG polls are scheduled for January 15 in Karachi Division after its postponement six times.