The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled the long-delayed local government elections in Islamabad for February 15. According to the election schedule, candidates will be able to submit their nomination papers from December 22 to 27, while scrutiny of these papers will take place between December 30 and January 3.
Election symbols are set to be allotted on January 16.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon has been appointed as the District Returning Officer for the polls, which will be conducted across 125 union councils under the Local Government Act 2015.
Years Without an Elected Mayor
Islamabad has been without an elected mayor since February 2021. Since becoming the federal capital in 1967, the city has had only two elected mayors, both serving between 2015 and 2021.
Following the end of the last local government’s term on February 14, 2021, elections have faced multiple delays due to various administrative and legal reasons.
ECP Declares Earlier Amendments Unconstitutional
The ECP had already issued its reserved decision on the matter, ruling on November 18 that the recent changes made to the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015 were inconsistent with the Constitution and the law.
In its written order, the Commission stated that the Local Government Department’s secretary could not oversee elections for reserved seats, stressing that the authority to appoint DROs, ROs, and other polling officials lies exclusively with the ECP.
Legal Framework and Background
Local governance in the federal capital functions under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015, which states that each local government serves a five-year term beginning from its first official meeting.
The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) convened its inaugural meeting on February 15, 2016, electing Sheikh Anser Aziz as mayor. After his resignation in 2020, Adil Gillani completed the remaining term until it ended on February 14, 2021.
Under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017, the ECP must conduct local government elections within 120 days of a term’s expiry. This meant polls should have been held by June 2021. Yet, more than four and a half years later, Islamabad still awaits restored local representation.
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