ECP assures IHC of holding LG polls in Islamabad within 120 days

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday assured the Islamabad High Court (IHC) of holding local government elections in the federal capital within 120 days.

The court disposed of the intra-court appeals after the assurance of the electoral watchdog.

The ECP and the federal government had filed separate intra-court appeals against the ruling of IHC’s single bench to conduct LG-polls in Islamabad on December 31, 2022.

Today, a two-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq conducted the hearing of the intra-court appeals.

“The legislation has been done. Are the 125 UCs still there,” Justice Farooq asked.

The judge said that the government has kept the authority of further increasing the number of UCs to itself.

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“In my opinion, there won’t be a need of increasing the UCs for 10 years,” he said, adding that the LG elections should be conducted at once.

At this, the ECP officials assured the court of holding the LG-polls in Islamabad within 120 days.

The court then asked the interior secretary if he would give a statement that the government will not increase the number of UCs before the elections.

At this, the ECP officials said that the electoral body will give the schedule of LG polls after conducting new delimitation.

After the completion of arguments and assurance by ECP, the IHC disposed of the intra-court appeals of the ECP and the government.