ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned the Punjab Chief Secretary and the Local Government Secretary to appear in person before the commission on Jan 22 to explain delay in activities required to hold long-delayed local elections in the province, an informed source told Dawn on Friday.
“This step is being taken to ensure urgent action is initiated to hold LG Elections in Punjab, which were constitutionally due for a long time,” an official said, pointing out that the term of local governments in Punjab had ended over four years ago on Dec 31, 2021.
He noted that provincial government has repeatedly delayed elections by amending electoral laws and using various excuses.
He said it was constitutional and legal obligation of both the Punjab government and the ECP to ensure timely local elections.
Issues schedule for delimitation of wards in 42 cantonment boards.
“The Election Commission’s action is aimed at fulfilling this duty and moving forward with the electoral process without further delay”, he added.
Dismayed by the failure of the Punjab government to meet the timeline for various activities required to pave the way for the conduct of LG elections in the province, the ECP had earlier this week decided to take up the matter.
The assurance to complete the prerequisites for LG polls had been given to the commission in October last year by the Punjab chief secretary, who had himself provided the timeline.
A letter expressing the ECP’s disappointment had been sent to the Secretary, Local Government and Community Development Department, Punjab, Lahore.
The letter, seen by Dawn, stated that the matter has been discussed at the highest level and that the commission has taken a serious view of the failure to meet the agreed timeline and fulfil the assurances given by the government.
It deplored that the matter was left open-ended, without any fresh timeline being provided for the completion of all related activities. The letter states that, keeping in view the situation and the fact that the conduct of local government elections in the province has already been considerably delayed, the ECP decided to fix the matter for hearing and take appropriate steps with regard to the conduct of local government elections in Punjab. “The due date for the hearing shall be conveyed soon,” the letter said.
Meanwhile, the ECP on Friday issued a schedule for delimitation of wards in 42 cantonment boards in the four provinces for local government elections.
According to the notification, the process will commence on Jan 19 and the notification of final list of delimitation of wards by the delimitation committees will be issued on April 20.
2 thoughts on “ECP summons Punjab CS, LG secretary over delay in electoral exercise”