Cantonment Boards: LG system to become functional next month

ECP restores Saad Rafiq’s membership, announces schedule for Rajwana’s seat

ISLAMABAD: After a decade long gap, the local government system in cantonments will be functional from next month.

Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday announced the schedule for the second phase of elections in cantonments where members elected through direct vote last month, will elect one member on reserved seats for the category-women, workers, peasants and youth. They will also elect another member on the seat reserved for non-Muslims.

Once the election for reserved seats concludes on May 29, all these members will take oath in the first session and elect a vice President amongst themselves. He will be highest civilian office holder in a military-dominated set-up.

Being President of the cantonment board, the area commanding officer from any of the three branches of armed forces enjoys dominating powers over key matters of these cantonments.

Out of 43 cantonment boards across the country, LG polls in 42 were held on April 26. However these elections were held primarily under the 2002 ordinance issued by former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf which was an extension of 1927 act of cantonments issued in pre-partitioned sub-continent.

According to the schedule announced by ECP for the second phase, intending candidates on reserved seats can file their nomination papers by May 18. After going through formalities of assessing candidature of applicants, the relevant returning officers will issue list of final contestants on May 23. Polling will be held on May 29 and the results will be announced the same day.

Among the cantonments which are classified as class I and II, one seat is reserved for peasants, workers, women and youth. The second reserved seat is for non-Muslims. Class-I cantonments are where there are 10 general seats while those having 5 general seats are classified as class-II cantonments. The smaller cantonments having less than five general wards do not have any reserved seats.

ECP restores membership of Saad Rafique

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday issued a notification recalling its earlier notification that annulled Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique’s membership in the National Assembly from NA-125.

Rafique’s victory from NA-125 was termed invalid by an election tribunal on May 4 after the panel found irregularities in the records of election material for the constituency. A re-poll was also ordered within 60 days of the verdict announcement.

Rafique had later moved the Supreme Court to challenge the tribunal’s verdict, seeking cancellation of the tribunal’s order. The Supreme Court on May 11 gave a stay order against tribunal’s decision. It admitted Rafique’s appeal for preliminary hearing and allowed him to continue working as MNA till the apex court takes final decision on tribunal’s verdict.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2015.