Islamabad: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Sikandar Sultan has remarked no more delay will be tolerated in Local Bodies (LB) election in Punjab and Islamabad.
" Difficulties are coming to fore in holding LB polls due to non-seriousness of the present government. Unfortunately the local government is being ignored in this government.
No more delay will be tolerated in LB polls in Punjab and Islamabad, this was said by CEC Raja Sikandar Sultan Raja while presiding over a 5-member bench of Election Commission (EC) during hearing of the matter of delay in LB polls Tuesday.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi could not appear during hearing of the matter being unwell .
Interior secretary appeared before EC.
Interior secretary said interior minister could not appear being indisposed.
CEC while granting exemption on it to interior minister said he is granted exemption for today.
On next hearing Interior minister has been summoned in person.
EC authorities inquired from interior secretary name of union councils have been included in draft notification which don't fall in their powers. It is ECP mandate to conduct delimitation.
They said notification of union council is not correct because commission wanted details of town and numbers of union councils and not name of union councils. They have raised number of union councils from 125 to 130. The details of wards were also given which were not required.
Interior secretary regretted in connection with contempt of court notice and told draft notification with reference to local bodies polls in Islamabad has been placed before the cabinet for approval. Law ministry has now given reply.
CEC remarked local government is not in place in Islamabad since February 2021. Two governments and one care taker government came. All the three governments gave positive reply. But is seems election commission and local bodies system is being ignored in the present government. Therefore, we were forced to issue contempt of court notice.
The CEC withdrew the contempt of court notice on appearance of interior secretary saying a committee is being constituted which should be headed by chief commissioner or DC. ECP and ICT representatives should be included therein so that both could work together.
He said Commission is serious for local bodies election in Punjab and Islamabad. There will be no more delay.
CEC Islamabad said all the information have been provided.
He said EC is constituting a committee in Islamabad with reference to local bodies polls. If the things go to right direction then well and good otherwise date will be given for next hearing after Eid.