EDITORIAL: Apparently, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership apprehends that if polls, be they for parliament and provincial assemblies or local government, are held now their outcomes may undermine its stand against Imran Khan’s strident call for early elections.
This widely-held perception seems to have found a measure of credibility through the approval by the National Assembly of a bill through which PDM has sought to increase the number of union councils from 101 to 125.
Clearly and unambiguously, this is nothing but a frantic attempt to get the LG polls delayed in the federal capital as the move has come less than 10 days ahead of the polling day.
Moreover, it’s no secret that all steps for electoral exercise, have been completed and the stage is now set for holding LG polls. A day ago, despite being Khan’s target for excessive abuse, the Election Commission of Pakistan had refused to endorse the PDM’s mindset – postponement of polls.
Right now the Capital is bristling with streamers and posters of candidates, who are trying to get support or votes especially by visiting all the houses in their respective areas. It may be noted that the local government of the Capital completed its tenure in February last year.
As per rules, new elections should have been held within 120 days after the expiry of tenure. The ECP earlier this year had decided to hold elections and issued the schedule, fixing July 31 as polling day.
However, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and other parties filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, pleading that instead of holding elections to 50 Union Councils, the number should be increased to 101.
To this the court ordered for elections to 101 UCs and the ECP carried out new delimitations before issuing a new schedule, under which elections are to be held on December 31. But that kind of arrangement didn’t fit in with the PML(N)’s feel of the ground.
Early this week the federal government moved to delay local government polls in the Capital, immediately followed by issuance of a letter by the Interior Ministry, raising number of UCs from 101 to 125.
It said since new delimitations are required the elections, therefore should be put off for several months. The ECP said the federal government’s notification is in violation of the Constitution, as well as of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015. Yesterday, however, Islamabad High Court set aside the ECP’s notification through which the latter had rejected the federal government’s increase in the number of union councils decision.
Interestingly, as expected, the ECP decision was welcomed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, but also by the local PML(N) leaders; the latter’s response is in fact a subtle but strong message to its candidates: Don’t lose heart and go ahead at full steam.
Since the Capital as yet is not a province its representation at government decision-making forums lacks the mandate to have its say on issues that deserve due attention. It’s a land inhabited by about two million people and they also face grassroots challenges.
Even when the Capital is represented in parliament – although only in name – it needs a government which reaches people’s doorsteps and asks them if it can do something to alleviate their hardships.
That the passage of a bill by National Assembly is clearly aimed at delaying the polls is a fact. Nevertheless, as pointed out by a senior ECP official in a newspaper report, amendments to an act cannot override constitutional provisions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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