ECP defers Islamabad local govt elections 'till further orders'

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday deferred local bodies elections, slated for October 9, following the amendments to Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015.

According to a notification issued by the election watchdog, the ECP has “decided to hold in abeyance, the Election Programme issued vide its notification even number dated 20/8/2024 for conduct of local government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory, till further orders”.

President Asif Ali Zardari, on August 29, assented to the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2024, after it was passed in the National Assembly and the Senate, amidst strong protest by the opposition.

In the new bill, the government has increased the number of general seats of union councils (UCs) from existing six to nine and the seats of women from two to three.

According to an amendment to Section 7 of Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2024, the electoral watchdog shall delimit union councils into nine wards for the election of members on the general seats. Previously, there were six wards in a union council.

As per substitution of Section 15, all nine general members of each union council shall be directly elected by the voters registered in the corresponding union council.

Meanwhile, an amendment to Section 17 stated that the words, the expression the Representation of People Act, 1976 will be substituted with the Elections Act, 2017.

Another substitution of Section 11 noted there will be chairman and vice chairman of a union council as joint candidates, nine general members, one woman, one peasant or worker or business or technocrat, one youth member and one non-Muslim.

Earlier, the election commission — in response to requests from political parties —had rescheduled polling for October 9 instead of September 29.

“To facilitate the participation of various political parties and prospective candidates in the election process and to provide them with all possible accommodations, the election commission has officially notified the revised election programme, according to which polling will now be held on October 9, 2024,” said a statement.