ISLAMABAD: The ECP Wednesday said that holding local government (LG) elections in Punjab was necessary under the law before February 3. The commission has directed its offices to take steps for ensuring LG polls in Pakistan’s largest province “as early as possible.”
In a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the ECP decided to hold a consultative meeting on considering a date for LG elections on the coming January 6.
The ECP also directed the Punjab government to name Panchayat and village councils latest by January 10 and warned that the Commission would notify delimitation of constituencies for LG elections on old names of Panchayat and village councils if Punjab government failed to name Panchayat and village councils by the given deadline.
Secretary ECP Dr Akhtar Nazir briefed the meeting that The Punjab Village Panchayats and Neighbourhood Councils Act was notified on May 4 last year. Under the law, the provincial government is bound to establish local bodies in the province within 21 weeks of the enforcement of this law. The ECP was of the view that holding LG elections in Punjab before the coming February 3 was necessary under the law.
The ECP directed its offices to start registration of electoral groups interested in participating in LG elections in Punjab to ensure LG elections as early as possible.
On August 5 this year, the ECP directed the Punjab government to provide a date for holding LG polls at upper tier, village and neighbourhood councils in the province but the provincial government did not comply with the ECP’s instructions.
On October 14 this year, the ECP said there was no legal justification to delay LG elections in Punjab, saying the electoral body had repeatedly reminded the Punjab government to provide a date for LG polls which has not been done so far.
The ECP said it had given the deadline of October 13, 2020 to Punjab Government to name village and neighbourhood councils. In this regard, Chief Minister Punjab’s office informed the Commission that a cabinet committee was reviewing the names for village and neighbourhood councils to put its recommendations before the provincial cabinet.
However, the provincial government, till date, has not given any date to the Commission regarding naming village and neighbourhood councils nor has the Punjab government given any date to hold LG elections.
Meanwhile, the ECP on Wednesday gave Ministry of Defence 15 days to take necessary steps to ensure LG elections in Cantonment Boards in near future.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020