ECP delays LG elections in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday postponed local government elections in Islamabad scheduled to be held on Dec 31.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja announced the decision while hearing case related to LG elections in the federal capital.

The ECP shared its short order on Twitter, stating: “Keeping in view the legal provisions & the judgment of the Honourable High Court, Islamabad dated 23/12/2022 regarding the subject matter. Local Government Election in ICT scheduled to be held on 31/12/2022 is hereby postponed for the time being.”

The top election body, however, did not announced new date for LG polls in Islamabad.

ECP's Short Order in ICT LGE case:
Keeping in view the legal provisions & the judgement of the Hon'ble High Court, Islamabad dated 23/12/2022 regarding the subject matter. Local Government Election in ICT scheduled to be held on 31/12/2022 is hereby postponed for the time being

— Spokesperson ECP (@SpokespersonECP) December 27, 2022

Last week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the ECP to hear all stakeholders before reaching any decision on holding elections in the capital city. It issued the directives while nullifying an ECP notice that had invalidated a government notification to increase the number of union councils in Islamabad.

On Dec 23, the Senate approved a bill, increasing the number of UCs in Islamabad to 125 amid strong protest by the opposition parties, which claimed that the new delimitation process delay the polls for months.

During today’s hearing, PTI lawyer Babar Awan highlighted the bill was yet to be signed into law by President Arif Alvi. He argued that the ECP could hold elections as per the schedule. He stressed that the government could not amend the laws once the ECP had announced schedule for the LG polls.

JI’s lawyer Hasan Jawed also called for holding the elections on time. To which, CEC Raja said the IHC had also directed the ECP to conduct assessment of the UCs in the federal capital.

After hearing the arguments, the ECP reserved its verdict before issuing a short order, delaying the polls “for the time being” in Islamabad.