IHC orders LG polls in Islamabad within 120 days

Court bars authorities from increasing number of UCs ahead of local body elections

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to hold local body elections in Islamabad within 120 days.

The court also barred the election body and the government from increasing the number of union councils (UCs) from the existing 125.

A two-member bench, led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, heard intra-court appeals against a ruling of its single bench regarding the holding of local bodies polls in the federal capital on December 31, 2022.

The joint secretary interior ministry appeared before the court.

During the proceeding, the IHC chief justice observed that "laws have now been made" and inquired if the government was willing to "commit to 125 UCs".

"The government has still reserved the right to increase the number of UCs," he said opining that "now there shouldn't be the need to increase the number of UCs for another 10 years".

"Hold elections now, and allow whoever wins to come [in office]," Justice Farooq said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) official told the court that the electoral body was willing to conduct local body elections in Islamabad within 120 days. "We will make new constituencies and schedule them under the amendment law," he added.

The federal government assured that no changes will be made to the number of UCs.

The high court disposed of the intra-court appeals related to the local body elections in Islamabad. The federal government has also been prohibited from increasing the number of UCs again before the elections.

Previously, the ECP had failed to comply with the high court’s order of holding the local government elections in Islamabad on December 31.

The electoral watchdog and the federal government filed intra-court appeals against the verdict.

The PTI, the co-petitioner in the case, also filed a contempt plea against the commission’s chief, its other officials, and interior as well as cabinet secretaries.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2023.