Postponement of Islamabad LG polls cost exchequer dearly

ISLAMABAD: The postponement of Islamabad Local Government (LG) polls caused a huge financial loss to the national exchequer as the printing of ballot papers was completely wasted, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The postponement of the Islamabad LG polls caused a huge financial loss worth a minimum of Rs100 million to the national exchequer.

Sources closer to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told ARY News that ballot papers were printed at the cost of Rs100 million. However, the ballot papers were completely wasted after the postponement order that was issued a few days before the LG elections scheduled for December 31.

READ: ECP SEEKS BAN ON LG ACT AMENDMENTS BEFORE FRESH POLLS

Sources added that the commission also spent a huge amount to purchase the election material.

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).

In its detailed verdict, the commission 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.

READ: ECP ISSUES DETAILED VERDICT ON ISLAMABAD LG POLLS POSTPONEMENT

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.

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).

ECP officials meet AGP

In another development today, the ECP officials met the Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali regarding the organisation of the Islamabad LG elections.

The meeting was also attended by ECP’s DG Law and special secretary. They held consultations in light of the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) verdict.

The election commission hinted at organising the LG polls in Ramazan month, sources said. In 1997, the general elections had been organised in the Ramazan month.

The ECP officials will also hold consultations with the Ministry of Interior regarding the local government elections in the federal capital.