Ministry of Finance orders ECP to return funds of more than Rs3 billion

ECP claims that it has already spent a portion of these funds on ballot papers.

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Finance has demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to return funds worth more than Rs3 billion, which had been granted for local bodies’ elections, Express News reported on Monday.

Due to the indefinite postponement of the local body elections, Ministry of Finance has asked ECP to surrender the funds, sources say.

In response to this demand, the ECP has claimed that it has already spent a portion of these funds on ballot papers.

The ECP further claimed that it owed money to Nadra and the General Headquarters (GHQ) for their services during the general elections and wished to clear these dues through the funds granted.

“Nadra needs to be paid Rs450 million and the GHQ Rs310 million,” stated the ECP.

However, the Ministry of Finance has asked the ECP to draft a fresh demand for funds for clearance of dues of the general elections and return the funds previously granted for local bodies' elections.

According to ECP’s initial estimates, Rs6.58 billion was going to be required from the finance ministry for holding the polls. Out of this, Rs3 billion were granted to the ECP.

For months the schedule of the local bodies’ election has been a topic of contention and dates have constantly changed.

Balochistan was successful in setting an example for the rest of the provinces by conducting local bodies’ elections on December 7, 2013. The local bodies’ elections took place after 8 years in the 32 districts of Balochistan.

Re-elections for local bodies’ seats were held on March 16 in five districts of Balochistan – Loralai, Pishin, Killa Saifullah and Musa Khail due to discrepancies in the results.

On March 19, the Supreme Court had ordered the other provinces to conduct local body elections by November 15 this year.