ECP indecisive on holding LG elections in Islamabad

• ECP failed on conducting LG elections in Islamabad
• LG Department has received instructions on conducting polls
• ECP was unable to file appeal against court’s verdict

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was unable to take a decision on conducting Local Government elections in Islamabad tomorrow.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja rushed to the federal capital after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered to conduct the polls as scheduled on December 31.

An emergency meeting was held at the ECP head office where Additional Attorney General (AAG) was also present. The meeting was briefed on the current situation but failed to make a decision on whether the polls will be conducted tomorrow.

Sources at the LG Department revealed that no instructions have been received to hold elections in the morning on Saturday. They said there is neither logistical support nor staff for the polls. The LG Wing makes arrangements for the polls under the directives of the election commission.

ECP officials were also unable to file an intra-court appeal could against the court’s verdict on conducting the polls.

The ECP’s legal team arrived at the district and session court but was unable to file an appeal due to the shortage of district branch staff. Sources revealed the appeal will be filed in the morning on Saturday.

The ECP was in a chaotic situation after the IHC nullified its order on delaying the LG elections in Islamabad and ordered to conduct the polls as scheduled on Dec 31.

The Interior Ministry has expressed its inability to conduct Local Government elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) tomorrow.

The interior ministry officials have informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that it is not possible to conduct the polls within a day.

Interior Ministry officials said that full security cannot be provided at such short notice. It stated that at security situation in the federal capital is already strict and they cannot provide security to 1000 polling stations.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also said the federal government is not in a position to hold local government elections in Islamabad.

He said they respect the court’s verdict but holding polls in such a short time period is not possible as the arrangements cannot be made in such a short period.

He said more than 1,000 polling stations need to be provided security. He added that election material is still not deployed at the polling stations and the polling staff is required. Therefore, he said it not possible to conduct the polls.

The IHC has instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections in the capital on Saturday.

IHC’s Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir accepted the petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) against the ECP’s decision to postpone the local government elections.

The court nullified the ECP’s decision and ordered to conduct the municipal elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) as scheduled on Dec 31.

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