ISLAMABAD, Dec 27 (APP):The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) here on Tuesday deferred the Local Government elections scheduled for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on December 31 following the increase in the number of Union Councils from 101 to 125.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja announced the verdict reserved earlier the day after hearing the arguments of the counsels of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the government.
Advocate General Jenangir Jadoon and Former Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf appeared before the bench on behalf of the government. Babar Awan and Ali Nawaz Awan represented the PTI. Mian Aslam argued before the bench of behalf of Jamat-e-Islami (JI).
The PML-N in its application, submitted to Islamabad High Court (IHC), pleaded to delay LG polls in the federal capital on the pretext of an increase in the number of union councils. After listening to all the parties in this case the ECP announced to postpone local government elections in Islamabad.
The former Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf told the court that the Islamabad administration had recommended to increase the number of UCs in the federal capital population.
Ashtar Ausaf argued that the increase in union councils was inevitable due to the increase in the population of the federal capital.
Ashtar, to a question, replied that the Statistics Division has conveyed the increase in the population of the federal capital and Islamabad High Court has also admitted the surge in population of the federal capital. Ashtar said the federal government has already given legal cover to increased UCs. ECP is now required to conduct delimitation of constituencies afresh.
CEC Sinkadar Sultan Raja said delimitation has already been done in the federal capital twice. Government should have increased the number of UCs earlier before the announcement of the election schedule.
ECP’s short order shared by the spokesperson, “Keeping in view the legal provisions and the judgment of the High Court regarding the matter. Local government election in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) is hereby postponed for the time being.”
Earlier, Islamabad high court (IHC) declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to increase Islamabad Union Councils (UCs) null and void.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) to hear the arguments from all the parties in this case again.
