Local government elections in Islamabad, which were scheduled to be held on Saturday 31 December, have been postponed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “for the time being”.
The full five-member commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, made the decision while hearing the matter in Islamabad on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/SpokespersonECP/status/1607657968249589761
"Local Government Election in ICT scheduled to be held on 31/12/2022 is hereby postponed for the time being", a statement from the commission said. The statement did not specify when they have been rescheduled for.
The ECP said that it was making its decision in view of legal provisions and of the Islamabad High Court's judgment dated 23 December regarding the matter.
On 23 December, the Islamabad High Court directed the ECP to hear all stakeholders before deciding on holding local government elections in the federal capital.
During the ECP hearing on Tuesday, former attorney general Ashtar Ausaf, representing the federal government in this case, told the commission that the union councils were increased in Islamabad based on the increase in population, adding that the ECP must consider the increase in population.
“The Islamabad High Court (IHC) also recognised the increase in population but authorised the Election Commission to take the final decision after listening to the government's point of view,” Ausaf told the commissioners.
“In the past, even after the schedule was released, elections were postponed. The Election Commission has to decide according to the constitution and the law,” Ausaf impleaded, adding that the ECP cannot deprive citizens of their fundamental rights.
Parliament has also passed legislation increasing the number of union councils, Ausaf informed the commission, adding that the ECP must conduct delimitation in Islamabad in light of this new law.
A member of the ECP wondered why there was a sudden increase in the population during just six months.
CEC Raja said that the delimitation of constituencies was done twice for Islamabad. He also gave the example of Punjab where the exercise was done twice, and is now being done for the third time.
“Why did the government not increase the UCs at the right time,” the CEC asked.
The full five-member commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, made the decision while hearing the matter in Islamabad on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/SpokespersonECP/status/1607657968249589761
"Local Government Election in ICT scheduled to be held on 31/12/2022 is hereby postponed for the time being", a statement from the commission said. The statement did not specify when they have been rescheduled for.
The ECP said that it was making its decision in view of legal provisions and of the Islamabad High Court's judgment dated 23 December regarding the matter.
On 23 December, the Islamabad High Court directed the ECP to hear all stakeholders before deciding on holding local government elections in the federal capital.
During the ECP hearing on Tuesday, former attorney general Ashtar Ausaf, representing the federal government in this case, told the commission that the union councils were increased in Islamabad based on the increase in population, adding that the ECP must consider the increase in population.
“The Islamabad High Court (IHC) also recognised the increase in population but authorised the Election Commission to take the final decision after listening to the government's point of view,” Ausaf told the commissioners.
“In the past, even after the schedule was released, elections were postponed. The Election Commission has to decide according to the constitution and the law,” Ausaf impleaded, adding that the ECP cannot deprive citizens of their fundamental rights.
Parliament has also passed legislation increasing the number of union councils, Ausaf informed the commission, adding that the ECP must conduct delimitation in Islamabad in light of this new law.
A member of the ECP wondered why there was a sudden increase in the population during just six months.
CEC Raja said that the delimitation of constituencies was done twice for Islamabad. He also gave the example of Punjab where the exercise was done twice, and is now being done for the third time.
“Why did the government not increase the UCs at the right time,” the CEC asked.