The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday cancelled the schedule to hold the local government elections in the federal capital, postponing the polls slated for December 31, after a change in the union councils of the capital territory.
The electoral body last week issued an order to continue the process of holding local government elections in the federal capital, saying that the union councils were increased in violation of the related law.
Today, the ECP announced the decision of deferring the LG polls after a five-member bench reserved its verdict on the local body elections.
At the outset of the hearing, former attorney general Ashtar Ausaf — who is representing the government in the case — informed the bench that the decision to increase the union councils in the federal capital was based on an increase in population.
At this, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja asked whether the census report had been published.
Suggesting the electoral body to look into the rise in Islamabad’s population, Ausaf maintained that the census bureau had notified the population growth.
“The Islamabad High Court 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 bench.
“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,” said Ausaf, adding that the ECP cannot deprive citizens of their fundamental rights.
The lawyer also told the bench that the federal government has passed a legislation on the increase of union councils, adding that ECP must redistribute constituencies in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, a member of the ECP wondered why there was a sudden increase in the population in six months.
The lawyer informed that the government reviewed NADRA’s data.
However, CEC Raja said that the delimitation of constituencies was done for Islamabad twice. 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 realise at the right time to increase the UCs,” asked CEC Raja. He added that UCs were increased once the election schedule was issued, saying that the government had put ECP in a difficult situation.
“If a mistake is made then the commission should provide assistance,” responded Ausaf. However, CEC Raja reminded the counsel that a mistake is made once not again and again.
“In Article 148 of the Constitution, it is written that elections are to be conducted according to the local law. Now, if that law is changed, then what should be done? There should be such a legislation that local government elections are held on time,” remarked CEC. He added that ECP also faced resistance in provinces over local government elections.
Meanwhile, Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan, a member of the bench, remarked that general elections are also supposed to be held, and wondered what would happen to the future of local body elections.
On the other hand, CEC Raja said that ECP fears that the government may change the UCs again, adding that the government has to stop this at some point. On this, Ausaf assured the ECP bench that there will be no changes in the law and wrapped up his arguments.
