Lahore: (Staff Reporter) The Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced to hold long-delayed local bodies elections in Punjab in April next year. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Elections Commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja. The meeting was briefed that the top election body had to delimit the constituencies for the third time.
According to the source, the ECP has directed the Punjab government to provide an updated copy of local bodies election laws, union councils and maps so the elections could be held as soon as possible. The chief election commissioner said that it would hold LG polls by using its constitutional authority if the laws are amended again.
Furthermore the commission has blamed the provincial government for the delay in the LG polls, saying amending the rules from time to time caused the delay. Earlier this year, the PMLN came into power in Punjab for a short period and it replaced the PTI’s local body’s laws with its own version. After the former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz led government was removed, the PTI regained control of the province and they repealed the PMLN’s version concerning LG polls.
Moreover the Punjab s most recent LG elections were held on a party basis in light with a verdict of the Supreme Court. However, the election members could not serve the people as the PTI had rendered the local bodies financially and administratively ineffective and their termed expired in 2021.
Meanwhile according to the latest Punjab Local Government Act 2022, the election for mayor of the metropolitan corporations and District Council in all divisional headquarters will be held by direct voting.
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