ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided not to hold any pending by-polls before January 31.

The decision taken in the light of recommendations of the National Command and Operation Centre overseeing coronavirus-related affairs has evoked a strong response from the Pakistan Peoples Party which says the conduct of by-elections is a constitutional obligation which must be met.

By-polls are due on two National Assembly and six provincial assembly constituencies.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the ECP presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja here on Tuesday.

Chairperson of Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and PPP leader Sassui Palijo expressed concern over the decision and urged the ECP to reverse it.

Requisites for LG polls in KP

The ECP asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to complete requisites for holding of local government polls in the province at the earliest.

The commission took up the matter days after the release of a Supreme Court order describing the absence of local bodies in KP as brazen disregard of law and directing that the Constitution and law be complied with.

The term of local bodies in KP had ended on Aug 28, 2019 and the provincial government, like the governments of other provinces, continues to drag its feet on the polls.

The ECP was briefed on the steps so far taken by the commission for holding of LG polls in Khyber Pakhtun­khwa. The meeting was informed that the ECP had completed delimitation in 27 districts of KP; however, the provincial government was yet to issue a notification about the number of village and neighbourhood councils in seven divisional districts.

It was also told that the provincial government was to notify election rules and write to the ECP on conduct of LG polls as per Section 219(3) of the Elections Act.

The KP local government secretary informed the commission that the provincial government had constituted a subcommittee of the cabinet headed by the provincial law minister, which would submit its recommendations about holding of polls to the cabinet before Dec 10. He also assured the ECP that the notification about village and neighbourhood councils in seven districts would be issued in a couple of days while other formalities would also be met in a matter of days.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2020