The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed intra-court appeals against the local government election in the federal capital on Thursday, after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) assured that elections would take place within 120 days.
The single-member bench overturned the ECP’s decision to postpone the local bodies (LB) elections and ordered local government elections in Islamabad to take place on December 31, 2022. However, the electoral body and the federal government appealed the decision directly to the division bench.
The hearing of the intra-court appeals was handled by the two-member bench, which was presided over by IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq. When asked about the number of Union Councils (UCs), Justice Farooq responded that the government still has the right to add more UCs.
He continued by saying that the LG elections should be held right away and that he did not believe that raising the UCs would be necessary for the following ten years. The court was given the assurance by ECP officials that the LG elections in Islamabad would take place in 120 days.
The court subsequently requested a declaration from the interior secretary stating that the government would not increase the number of UCs prior to the elections. The ECP officials stated that following new delimitation, the electoral body would announce the LG election schedule.
Additionally, they cited a Supreme Court decision from the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election suo motu case, which mandated that the commission must consult with the federal government before holding LG elections.
The IHC decided the government’s and ECP’s intra-court appeals after the conclusion of the arguments and assurances by ECP. The court’s ruling provides clarity and guarantees that the LG elections in Islamabad will take place within 120 days, giving the public the chance to select their representatives and influence their communities.
