IHC defers Islamabad LG Polls, orders new delimitation to ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday deferred the local government elections in the Federal Capital Territory while ordering the election commission to complete delimitation of 101 union councils before polls, ARY News reported.

A bench of the high court comprised of Chief Justice Athar Minallah while hearing a petition against the ECP notification for the local government polls in Islamabad, ” can the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) hold the LG elections within two months?”

“What orders the election commission wants from the court,” the chief justice questioned. ” The election commission first complete new delimitation of 101 union councils before polls,” the court ordered.

The ECP in its reply said that the LG Polls schedule will be announced after fresh delimitation of constituencies. The electoral body asked the court to direct the federal government for cooperation in local government elections. “Governments used to create hurdles in local councils elections,” the ECP said.

“The election schedule will be announced within 60 days after fresh delilmition,” the ECP told the court.

The court dismissed the petitions with regard to restraining the elections, declaring them ineffective.

Adil Aziz Qazi Advocate had submitted a petition against the notification of the ECP on behalf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the People’s Party.

The Interior Secretary, Secretary to the PM and the ECP were made respondents in the petition.

The federal government has notified to enhance the number of union councils on May 21, from 50 to 101, according to the petition.” The number of the union councils in Islamabad has been increased in proportion to one UC for 20,000 persons. “The election commission has announced election schedule without announcing the number of UCs,” according to the petition.

“The ECP is bound to enhance the number of UCs before the local government election,” according to the petition.

Petitioner seeks the court to declare the election commission’s notification as void and restrains the LG election in Islamabad without increase in the number of union councils.