The Election Commission of Pakistan has ruled that local government elections in Islamabad cannot be held on December 31 since the government has increased the number of union councils in the capital city. The ruling comes only four days before the polling day.

The Election Commission of Pakistan reached its decision in a government petition requesting a delay in holding the Islamabad local government elections because new constituency boundaries have not been drawn. The federal government changed the UC boundaries and increase the total number of UCs from 101 to 125 only recently.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami pleaded with the ECP to reject the government’s move about the change in the UC boundaries. They desired the election to be held on December 31.

A five-member bench, headed by the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case.

The Islamabad High Court had asked the ECP to hear petitions requesting a delay in the election, on Friday. Petitions had asked the court to delay the election as new delimitations had not been carried out despite a huge increase in Islamabad’s population.

Advocate general Ashtar Ausaf appeared on behalf of the government, while Babar Awan represented PTI and Mian Aslam represented Jamat-e-Islami.

PTI’s reaction

Reacting to the verdict, Asad Umar said that the ECP had once again ‘aided’ the PDM government by delaying elections.

They delayed the election because they received intelligence reports that the PTI would get a majority, he said.

He also said that PTI would challenge the verdict in the court.

Government’s argument

Ashtar Ausaf told the commission that the high court had remarked that new delimitations have been carried out and that it was the high court’s prerogative to have the final word on the time of election.

He added that elections have been postponed after announcement of dates in the past as well. Pointing out the need for new delimitations is the mandate of the federal government.

PTI’s stance

PTI’s counsel Babar Awan argued that the bills pertaining to the new arrangement and delimitations have not been passed in to law yet as the President has not signed them.

He added that he sensed government’s ‘malintent’ behind the decision to ask for delay in elections.

Jamat-e-Islami’s stance

JI’s counsel told the commission that Islamabad got its first local government after 50 years through the last election. However, there had been no government in the capital for the last two years.

Mian Aslam said that delaying elections at the last moment is an ‘insult’ to the people of Islamabad.