Zubair Qureshi
The Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) Delimitation Committee for Local Government (LG) Islamabad on Friday released the preliminary list of constituencies as per the schedule of delimitation of local bodies.
According to the list, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has been divided into 50 union councils like the previous local government elections.
In each union council 6 general wards and 2 women’s wards have been formed, the delimitation committee for local government Islamabad has decided. Moreover, a preliminary list of constituencies has been posted, according to a member of the committee.
The term of the local government in the capital expired in February last year and the ECP was supposed to hold the new elections within 120 days, but the elections could not be held on time.
The process of delimitation began but was halted in July 2021 when the interior ministry withdrew its notification regarding the UCs.
In August, the ministry stated that in view of the increase in population after the census results, the government intended to increase the number of UCs in the capital territory and spadework was underway to enact the new Local Government Act.
The first ever local government elections in Islamabad were held in November 2015 which were clinched by the then ruling party PML-N with majority.
Last year, after pointing out the non-serious approach of the federal government in holding the local government elections in Islamabad, the ECP had stated that if the required data and notifications were not provided to the commission for delimitation of new UCs, the commission shall initiate the delimitation process on the already notified UCs.
Now the delimitation work is completed, a date for local government elections in Islamabad would be announced, said an official of the ECP while talking to Pakistan observer.He added all other formalities regarding filing of nomination papers, objections and their hearing would also be conveyed, he said.
