ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) instructed Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit Local Body elections’ new timeline today after holding consultation with government.

Court also sought written arguments from AGP and ECP in petition challenging ECP’s notification regarding postponing of LG elections in federal capital. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard case filed by Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami regarding matter. Attorney General said that court should ask DG ECP that why elections were postponed. He said that government had not changed local area instead it had increased number of UCs. AGP said that ECP would complete process of delimitations of UCs within sixty days.

Court asked ECP’s official that federation was referring matter towards ECP. Court asked that whether ECP was ready to conduct elections on December 31. Whether ECP’s decision was not violating assurance it had submitted to this court regarding LG’s polls, Justice Arbab questioned.

DG ECP said that it would take time to transport equipment for polls, adding that elections were not possible in new situation.  

Court asked whether proceeding of contempt of court shouldn’t be initiated against ECP. ECP’s lawyer said that election act authorised federal government to increase number of UCs in capital. Bench asked that whether federal government could increase number of UCs at any time.

Lawyer said that there was no restriction regarding timeline for increase in UCs number. Federal government could change local area after consultation with ECP, he said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 30 2022

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