Senate passes ICT Local Government Bill 2015

The bill will now be moved in the Nation­al Assemb­ly before becoming law

ISLAMABAD: Senate on Thursday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Bill 2015 with majority, paving way for holding elections in the federal capital.

The newly passed bill will now be presented before the National Assembly for approval, according to reports. If National Assembly passes the said Bill then the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hold local body elections in the capital.

Read: Local govt elections : Senate panel approves LG bill for Islamabad

Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar moved the bill to rationalise and recognise local government system in the federal capital which was taken into consideration at once.

“The government accepts recommendations despite having several reservations over the committee report, therefore, the Senate may pass the bill to keep in mind the deadline set by the court,” he said.

Read: SC allows polling date revision

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan urged the Senate chairman to defer the bill till privilege committee's report is presented before the parliament.

The Senate’s privilege committee is taking up a motion moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Saeed Ghani regarding a possible breach of the house’s privilege by the ECP.

The PPP leader alleged the country’s electoral body breached the Senate’s privilege by issuing LG elections schedule for Islamabad.

Read: Controversy: ‘Bill will be passed in current Senate session’

Yesterday, an assurance to hold LG polls in Islamabad was offered to the Supreme Court by Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Amir Rehman, after a three-member bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja asked the federal government whether or not it will hold the LG polls in capital on July 25. The bench had also asked what law the elections would be held under.