ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday recalled its notification issued for holding the local government elections in Islamabad on July 25.

The schedule for the elections became controversial from the day of its issuance as it had been announced in the absence of a local government law with lawmakers terming it an insult to parliament. The schedule had been issued on the directions of the Supreme Court in anticipation of legislation.

The National Assembly had already passed a bill for the party-less local government elections in the capital. But members of the Senate questioned the issuance of the schedule saying the upper house of parliament had the authority to introduce amendments to it.

The most significant amendment the Senate made to the bill was that it provided for the party-based elections in the capital. The bill passed by the Senate with amendments will now go back to the National Assembly. If the assembly approves the bill in the present form, it will be sent to the president for his assent. And in case of a difference of opinion, the fate of the draft law will be decided at a joint session of the parliament.

Representatives of the interior ministry during a recent meeting of the ECP had said the government would be ready for party-based polls if such a bill was passed by the Senate.

The notification was withdrawn by the ECP 15 days ahead of the polling day after completing all the phases, including the appointment of polling staff, filing and scrutiny of nomination papers, publication of the final list and commencement of the process to print 42 million ballot papers.

An official of the ECP told Dawn that the schedule had been issued on the orders of the Supreme Court and withdrawn pursuant to its order passed on Wednesday (July 8). He said the new schedule would be announced after the local government law was finally enacted.

A case relating to the local government elections in Islamabad is also pending before the apex court.

The official said the candidates who had filed ECP recalls notification for LG polls in capital nominations after the issuance of the schedule for July 25 elections would need not to submit the nomination fee afresh but would have to resubmit the nomination forms which would be printed following the announcement of a new schedule.

He said the ECP would require about 45 days to announce the election schedule after the passage of a law.

The Supreme Court will take up the petitions concerning the local government elections in Islamabad on August 3 and the government will also brief it on the status of the law.

A privilege motion moved by PPP Senator Saeed Ghani against the ECP for the issuance of a schedule for the LG polls in the absence of a law is also pending before the Senate committee on rules and privileges. The committee at its meeting held on Wednesday heard the secretary ECP who said the schedule had been announced by the ECP on the direction of the court.

Many lawmakers, however, criticised the ECP for its failure to assert its mandate and run the affairs of the commission in accordance with the constitution and the law.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2015

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