ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is considering holding local government polls in Islamabad on Jan 10.
Sources say the final date for the long-awaited LG polls in the federal capital would be unveiled in consultation with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members.
Meanwhile, the electoral watchdog has expedited preparations for the polls which were previously scheduled for Dec 31, as ballot papers have been sent to the offices of the returning officers (ROs).
Informed circles said the shortage of staff for the polling process was the major impediment in the conduct of polls as the staff of the education department was on winter vacation. The teachers and other staff would be available to the ECP after the schools and colleges reopen on Jan 8.
The ECP had presented the shortage of staff as an excuse for not holding the election as per schedule after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered it to conduct the LG polls on Dec 31. The ECP failed to comply with the IHC’s single-bench order to hold the elections as per the schedule and it along with the federal capital filed an intra-court appeal against the ruling on Saturday.
Last week, IHC s Justice Arabab Muhammad Tahir issued the ruling for the LG polls after the ECP announced the postponement of polls due to the government’s decision to increase the number of union councils (UCs) in the federal capital.
