Local govt elections : Senate panel approves LG bill for Islamabad

ISLAMABAD:

Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior has approved the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Bill 2015 but with a few amendments.

The committee has also suggested that the federal government file a review petition with the Supreme Court of Pakistan against one of its judgments dated March 4, 2015 that directs the government to hold local bodies’ elections in Islamabad relying on the unapproved draft of under consideration bill if the parliament fails to adopt it within the given time.

Amendments suggested by the committee—headed by Senator Rehman Malik—include holding of local government elections in the federal capital on party basis, and ensuring financial autonomy and curbing the federal government’s direct control over the proposed local government. The bill was referred to the committee on April 16. Almost two and a half months later the committee submitted the bill in the Senate.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2015.