POLITICS & POLICY MAKING

Election Commission Suspends Local Body Elections Schedule in Islamabad

The Election Commission has postponed the local body elections in Islamabad, originally scheduled for October 9, due to recent amendments to the Local Government Act.
2024-09-04
Election Commission Suspends Local Body Elections Schedule in Islamabad

The Election Commission has announced the suspension of the local body elections schedule in Islamabad, which was initially set for October 9. This decision follows recent amendments to the Islamabad Local Government Act.

 

The suspension comes in the wake of the Islamabad Local Government Elections Amendment Bill 2024, which was passed by the National Assembly on August 27. The bill, introduced by Federal Law Minister Nazir Tarar, aims to enhance local governance and representation at the grassroots level.

 

Under the new amendments, significant changes have been made to the structure and process of local body elections. The Islamabad Local Government Act 2024 now stipulates that each union council will consist of 15 members, including a chairman, vice chairman, 9 directly elected general members, and representatives for women, youth, minorities, and technocrats or labor.

 

Notably, the election of the chairman and vice chairman will no longer be direct. Instead, the 9 general members elected at the union council level will be responsible for electing the other representatives through a secret ballot. This adjustment aims to provide greater representation and streamline the election process.

 

The suspension of the election schedule reflects the need to incorporate these legislative changes into the electoral process. The Election Commission has stated that the elections will be rescheduled once the new regulations are fully implemented and ready for enforcement.

 

The delay in elections is a significant development in Islamabad’s local governance landscape, and further updates will be provided as the situation evolves.