ECP postpones LG elections in Islamabad

• A five-member commission heard the case.
• Islamabad administration recommended increasing the number of UCs.
• Ali Nawaz Awan said misconceptions are being spread regarding the law.

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed local government(LG) elections in Islamabad on Tuesday.

A five-member commission chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner has announced the judgement in case related to LG elections in Islamabad.

Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon and former Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf, while Babar Awan and Ali Nawaz Awan from PTI and Mian Aslam from Jamaat-e-Islami appeared before the Election Commission.

Former Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf said in arguments that the Islamabad High Court has given a decision regarding LG elections. The Islamabad administration recommended increasing the number of Union Councils, increasing the number of USCs due to the increase in the population of Islamabad.

Member Ikaramullah asked whether a census was conducted in this regard. To which the former Attorney General replied that the Statistical Institute reported an increase in the population of Islamabad. The ECP should look into the issue of population growth as Islamabad High Court also recognized the increase in population.

Ashtar Ausaf argued that the Islamabad High Court has given the authority to the ECP to take the final decision.

The former Attorney General said that in the past, even after the schedule was released, the elections were postponed. The Election Commission has to decide according to the constitution and law.

Ashtar Ausaf argued that the Election Commission should redistribute constituencies in Islamabad according to the new law.

Election Commission member Nisar Durrani said that section 4 of the Act should also be read and explained.
The former attorney general replied that it is the authority of the federal government to demarcate union councils, to which member Nisar Durrani said that the number of union councils was increased to 101 in June.

Member Ikramullah Khan said that we also have the record of NADRA, according to our record the population of Islamabad has not increased so much.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that every other day the governments postpone LG by amending the Election Act.

Ashtar Ausaf requested ECP to conduct LG elections in Islamabad based on 125 union councils.

Ali Nawaz Awan’s lawyer Babar Awan argued that three misconceptions are being spread regarding the law.

Also Read

ECP fixes two hearings relating to LG elections in Islamabad

ECP sent a notice to the Federal Govt, AG, and  petitioners. The...

Earlier, ECP reserved judgement in case related to LG elections in Islamabad.