Fresh legislation halts Islamabad LG polls

Increases number of representatives at UC level, alters poll process for key positions

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suspended the schedule for local body elections in Islamabad and issued a notification to this effect. The postponement of the elections in the federal capital comes in light of recent parliamentary legislation.

According to the details, the electoral watchdog said: "The local body elections have been postponed following the approval of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2024."

The ECP had previously announced the schedule for the local body elections in Islamabad on September 29.

The Parliament has amended the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2024, increasing the number of elected representatives at the Union Council level. Under the newly approved bill, each union council will now consist of 15 members, including a chairman, a vice chairman, nine general members, and representatives for women, youth, minorities, and technocrats or workers.

According to the new legislation, the chairman and vice chairman will not be elected directly. Instead, nine general members in each union council will be elected directly by the voters. These general members will then elect the chairman and vice chairman, as well as representatives for the reserved seats for women, minorities, youth, and technocrats or workers through a secret ballot.

Islamabad has 125 union councils with a total of 1 million registered voters. It is noteworthy that the term of the local government expired in February 2021.

The country's electoral watchdog updated its list of 166 registered political parties, including changes to the leadership of several parties, such as recognising Nawaz Sharif as the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Naeemur Rehman Khan as Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Under the latest amendment, Mehmood Khan is now listed as the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarian. At the same time, Asif Zardari continues as the President of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarian with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party. Asfandyar Wali Khan remains the president of the Awami National Party.

In July, the ECP confirmed September 29 as the date for local body elections in Islamabad, marking a pivotal development in the ongoing legal proceedings in the Islamabad High Court. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani presided over the case concerning Islamabad's local body elections. During the hearing, the ECP officials assured the court of their readiness to conduct elections on the specified date.

The IHC had also directed parties to submit detailed comments, consolidating all relevant applications before adjourning the hearing until October 15.