Election Commission puts off Islamabad’s LG polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday postponed the local bodies elections in the federal capital scheduled for October 9 till further orders, citing recent amendments in the related law.

The Election Commission issued a notification, which reads, “… Consequent upon the recent amendments made by the Parliament in the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 through the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2024 dated 30th August, 2024, the Election Commission of Pakistan has decided to hold in abeyance, the Election Programme issued vide its notification of even number dated 20.08.2024 for conduct of local government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory, till further orders”.

In the amended law, the government has increased the number of general seats of union councils (UCs) from six to nine and the seats of women from two to three. This would require a new drill of delimitation of constituencies which is a time-consuming process.

Already, on August 20, the local government elections in the capital witnessed a delay when the ECP extended the schedule, deciding that the polling would be held on October 9, instead of September 29. The opposition had criticised the amendments, fearing polls delay.

Separately, a four-member bench of the commission, headed by ECP Member Sindh Nisar Ahmad Durrani, heard the contempt of the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner defamation cases against PTI founder chairman Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry.

PTI advocate Naeem Panjhota appeared on behalf of Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry and pointed out to the forum that Fawad had appeared in the hearing on Tuesday and requested exemption from attendance. Deputy Director Law Wing of the Election Commission explained that evidence against Imran was to be recorded today, therefore, his lawyer must appear, whereas the charges were to be framed against Fawad. The ECP bench asked how Imran Khan would attend the cases, as the High Court had decided Imran’s attendance through video link. The bench was informed that Imran Khan had appeared in the Supreme Court through video link. However, Panjotha maintained that the jailers told them that they do not have a video link facility and at this, the bench promised to talk to jail authorities. The hearing of the cases was adjourned till September 19.

Meanwhile, a hearing on the petition against Deputy Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Suriya Bibi was also conducted by the same bench of the commission. The Election Commission bench dismissed the case. Separately, the case of political parties, which had not given mandatory 5pc tickets to women during the February 8 elections, was also heard by the four-member bench, chaired by member Nisar Durrani. He suggested the government may be requested to enact legislation denial of five percent quota to women members a punishable offence.