Imagine waiting five long years for something promised, only to have it delayed time and again. That's precisely what's been happening with the local government (LG) elections in Islamabad, Pakistan. After what feels like an eternity of postponements, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finally declared that these elections will proceed. But here's the catch: a specific date is still missing, leaving residents hanging in anticipation.
To understand the frustration, consider the timeline. The previous local government's term ended on February 14, 2021. According to regulations, new elections should have been held within 120 days of that expiration. That deadline came and went... and went... and went again.
The ECP, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and its four members, meticulously reviewed the situation on October 13th and formally announced their decision on Monday. Their order explicitly states that the amendment made to Section 15 of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Act 2015 through the ICT amendment Act 2024 clashes with the Constitution, the Election Act of 2017, and Section 20 of the ICT Local Government Act of 2015. This is a crucial point because it signifies that the ECP is pushing back against attempts to alter the rules in a way they deem unconstitutional.
And this is the part most people miss: the ECP is also asserting its authority over who gets to run the elections. The Commission emphasizes its power, granted by Sections 50, 219, and 224 of the Elections Act, 2017 along with Section 20 of the ICT Local Government Act, 2015, to appoint key officials like District Returning Officers (DROs), Returning Officers (ROs), and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs). These officials can be drawn from the ECP's own staff, government officers, the judiciary, or any government-controlled entity. However, the ECP has made it clear that a "secretary Union Council" does not qualify as an "officer" under Section 50 of the Elections Act, 2017, and therefore cannot be entrusted with election responsibilities. The ECP is insisting on using officers they approve for conducting the elections for reserved seats, not relying on Union Council secretaries.
But here's where it gets controversial... The federal government hasn't exactly been enthusiastic about these elections. In recent months, they attempted to further amend the Local Government Act, seemingly to grant more power to the administrator currently running local affairs. The proposed bill seeks to remove the six-month limit on the administrator's tenure and grant them additional powers. This move has been widely interpreted as a way to delay or even avoid holding proper elections.
Adding insult to injury, the ECP has conducted delimitation of constituencies (redrawing electoral boundaries) and announced election schedules not once, not twice, but at least three times – only to cancel them each time. It's a pattern of starts and stops that has eroded public trust and fuelled cynicism.
It's worth remembering that the previous government, led by PTI, also failed to prioritize these elections. When they were in power, the local government's five-year term expired in 2021, and elections were legally required within 120 days. The subsequent PDM government continued this trend of delays. Initially, elections were planned for 50 union councils (UCs), but the government then argued for increasing the number to 101. Once arrangements were finalized for 101 UCs, they proposed increasing it again to 125. Even after scheduling elections for 125 UCs, another "idea" emerged in September of the previous year: increasing the number of general seats within the UCs. It's a dizzying series of changes that has left voters feeling completely disregarded.
The only local government elections ever held in Islamabad took place back in 2015-2016, won by the PML-N, which led to Sheikh Anser Aziz being elected as mayor. The fact that it's been so long since then highlights the democratic deficit in the capital.
So, the ECP has stated its intention to hold the elections, but the lack of a firm date leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Will the government continue to resist? Can the ECP truly assert its authority? And, perhaps most importantly, will the people of Islamabad finally get the local representation they deserve? What do you think? Should the ECP have the power to override government amendments in this case? Do you believe the delays are politically motivated? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
