ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday constituted a committee to determine the reasons for persistent delay in holding local government elections and submit proposals to entrust the responsibility of holding LG elections to provinces and submit its recommendations to the commission. The committee headed by Election Commission special secretary, comprising ECP director general, senior officers of the commission, has been tasked to submit the report after through perusal.
The committee, constituted by ECP in a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, was assigned to determine constitutional and legal responsibilities of the Election Commission for holding LG elections; dependency of ECP on federal and provincial governments for holding LG elections; determine reasons for delay in elections; suggest proposals to reduce ECP’s reliance on provincial governments for holding LG elections (to be sent to federal government for legislation).
The committee was authorized to submit proposals to hand over the responsibility of holding LG elections to provincial government from ECP so that the provincial governments could be responsible for holding elections.
The meeting also discussed the issue of non-support of the provinces for holding local body elections governments and taking different excuses for postponing the LG elections.