- ECP stalled local body elections over delaying tactics.
- They say that the Punjab government has not yet provided important documents, data.
- The Punjab government is bound to support the ECP in conducting the elections.
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to hold local elections in Punjab in the last week of April 2023, an ECP spokesman said on Wednesday, barring delaying tactics.
Referring to the minutes of the meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to review the schedule of local body elections in Punjab, the spokesman said that a consensus was reached in this regard after detailed consultation.
According to the spokesperson, the meeting was informed that the local government rules were changed twice due to which the ECP had to delimit the local constituencies twice.
The tenure of local bodies of Punjab ended on January 1, 2022.
He said that the provincial government notified the Punjab Local Government Act on November 16, 2022 and according to the new law, the ECP will have to delimit the constituencies for the third time.
Furthermore, the Punjab Government had not yet notified the Punjab Local Government Constituency Rules and the Punjab Local Government Conduct of Election Rules.
Punjab government is bound to support. [the ECP] In the light of the Constitution, law and orders of the Supreme Court, the spokesman added.
Referring to the CEC, the spokesperson said that the ECP has either conducted or is about to conduct local body elections in all provinces. The CEC chaired the meeting and said that “Punjab remains the only state where laws have been changed during different periods.”
The CEC also said that elections cannot be held only in Punjab due to delaying tactics. He did not say who is dragging his feet in the local elections.
The spokesman said that the Punjab government should provide copies of ECP rules and other data to the Punjab Provincial Commission.
The spokesperson said that if any changes are made in the local government laws, the ECP will use its constitutional powers to conduct local body elections in Punjab.
According to the spokesperson of ECP, the Chief Secretary Punjab told the ECP that before giving the schedule of the municipal elections, it should be remembered that the holy month of Ramadan may come with the municipal elections at the end of April.
The spokesman quoted Chief Secretary Punjab as saying that for this reason the ECP should decide on a suitable date.