ISLAMABAD: Taking serious view of failure in meeting the timelines and fulfilling assurances given by the Punjab government, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to once again take up for hearing the matter of local government elections in the province.
According to a letter sent to the Secretary, Local Government & Community Development Department, Punjab, Lahore, the matter has been discussed at the highest level and the ECP has taken a serious view of failure in meeting the timelines and fulfilling the assurance by the provincial government.
The ECP sources explained that the meeting expressed disappointment over the delays and noted that the matter was left open ended without any timelines being given for completion of all the related activities.
The letter reads that keeping in view the situation and the fact that the conduct of local government election in the province has already been considerably delayed, the Commission has decided to fix the matter for hearing and taking appropriate steps with regard to conduct of local government polls in the province and that due date for the hearing shall be conveyed soon. It was pointed to the provincial government that the assurance to complete the prerequisites for LG polls had been held out in October last year to the Commission by Chief Secretary Punjab, who had himself given the timelines for it.
Under the promised timelines, the Punjab Local Government (Delimitation of Union Councils) Rules, were to be finalised by October 27 whereas a formal notification was still awaited. Moreover, November 15 was the deadline for provision of the Punjab Local Government (Conduct of Elections) Rules; a draft had been shared on which ECP has already given its input and a notification was required afterwards.
Similarly, notification of ‘Demarcation and Classification’, showing limits of the local areas was due by December 22 but was still awaited. Deadline of December 31 set for notification of number of Union Councils to be delimited within local areas has also been missed.
Authenticated maps showing census charges, census circles and census blocks as per census-2023 were to be provided by January 10, but was still awaited.
