ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the holding of local government elections in the federal capital.
The ECP declared the recent amendments to the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015 as inconsistent with the Constitution and the law.
The ECP issued its reserved verdict on the conduct of Islamabad’s local body polls, ruling that elections to women and other reserved seats cannot be conducted by the Secretary of Local Government.
The Commission said that the appointment of DROs, ROs, and all other staff for election is exclusively the prerogative of ECP, and no other government department.
The order states that the Election Commission of Pakistan shall assign its officials for election duties from the judiciary or the civil administration, as needed.
The ECP further held that the Secretary of Local Government does not meet the legal definition of a government officer for the purpose of conducting elections.
Following the verdict, the ECP has directed its concerned wing to prepare and submit the schedule for the Islamabad local government elections.
