ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sprang into action on Sunday, anticipating it can be asked to conduct the much-delayed local government elections in Islamabad any time, informed sources told Dawn.

An ECP official confirmed that the polling bags were despatched to the returning officers, who had already been directed to allocate rooms to keep the polling material under proper security arrangement.

Under the law, the ECP is bound to conduct elections within 120 days. The term of local bodies in Islamabad expired on February 14, 2021.

Sources said an intra court appeal against the IHC’s judgment was pending, but the ECP was prepared to hold elections any time this week. District Election Commissioner Islamabad Waqas Ahmad Malik, who is also the district returning officer, has already issued necessary instructions to the returning officers.

Polling material sent to returning officers

Earlier, the commission had scheduled the local elections in Islamabad on December 31, it postponed the exercise citing recent Islamabad High Court’s judgment as a reason. The IHC had ordered the commission on Friday to hold polls on Saturday, which could not be done due to absence of polling staff, security arrangements and logistic problems.

Published in Dawn, january 2th, 2023