ECP directs K-P to submit action plan for LB polls

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to submit an action plan for carrying out local body elections in phases.

The ECP has also issued an order directing the provincial government of to amend its laws pertaining to local government laws upon the government’s request to extend the deadline for the legislative job.

On the other hand, the election commission directed the Balochistan government to ensure that amendments are made within three weeks. In another order for Balochistan government, the provincial government has been directed to pass the amendment and issue a notification under the given deadline. The ECP has made it clear that if the Balochistan government does not comply with ECP directions then the case will be fixed for re-hearing and the Balochistan chief secretary will have to appear in person at the next hearing.

As per the ECP order released on Monday, the K-P government must state in which areas the local body elections will be held in the first phase in November and December.

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Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education, Kaman Bangash on Monday said local bodies' elections would be held in three phases in the province.

During a press talk on Monday, he told reporters that apart from mountainous areas, the village council and neighborhood council elections would be held in 16 or 17 districts of K-P during next November or December.

The special assistant added that after the end of snowfall, local bodies' elections would be held in mountainous areas in the second phase next year. The local bodies' elections for tehsil chairmen would be held on party basis in next July or August.

The provincial government will hold talks with the Election Commission on October 14 in this regard.

Bangash further said the provincial government had already allocated one billion rupees in the fiscal budget 2020-21 for holding local bodies' elections in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2021.