IHC seeks ECP’s notification about LG polls

Petitioner's lawyer adopted the stance that a notification was issued to increase the number of union councils

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought details about the publishing of a notification of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the gazette regarding local body elections in federal capital.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case challenging the aforesaid notification filed by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Petitioner's lawyer Adil Aziz Qazi Advocate adopted the stance that a notification was issued on May 21, 2022 to increase the number of union councils in Islamabad. The union councils had been increased from 50 to 101.

He added that the number was increased with a ratio of giving representation to 20,000 people in each union council. However, the ECP had announced the election schedule without increasing the union councils. The ECP was bound to increase the union councils before the announcement of elections, it added.

It prayed the court to set aside the notification of ECP dated June 2, 2022 and stop local body elections until the increase in the number of union councils. The court adjourned hearing of the case till tomorrow with above instructions.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2022.