CEC Raja Issues Stark Warning Over Delayed Islamabad Polls
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja issued a sharp rebuke on Tuesday, stating it appears the current government is “ignoring” both the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the local government system. The remarks came during a hearing on the protracted delay of local government elections in Islamabad, which has been without a local administration since February 2021.
“Unfortunately, it appears that in the current government, the ECP and the local government system are being ignored,” CEC Raja stated, adding that the commission had been compelled to issue a contempt notice due to the lack of cooperation.
Five-Year Vacuum and Minister’s Absence
Raja noted that two governments, including a caretaker setup, had been in power during the five-year vacuum, and both had previously shown a positive response toward holding the polls. The ECP had initially scheduled elections for February 15, but they were postponed after the federal government decided to introduce new legislation.
In a related development, the ECP exempted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi from personal appearance during the hearing. The interior secretary informed the bench that Naqvi was unwell. The minister had been summoned in his personal capacity during the last hearing regarding the delay.
Administrative Hurdles and Notification Errors
The commission raised serious concerns over procedural irregularities. The bench observed that a draft notification related to the elections incorrectly included the names of union councils—a matter that falls under the ECP’s mandate for delimitation, not the interior ministry’s.
The ECP pointed out that the notification was not prepared according to requirements. Officials had asked for the number of towns and union councils, but instead received their names. Furthermore, the number of Union Councils had been unilaterally increased from 125 to 130, with unnecessary details about wards provided.
Apology and New Coordination Committee
The interior secretary apologized to the commission over the contempt notice and stated that the draft notification had been placed before the federal cabinet for approval.
To resolve the ongoing coordination issues, CEC Raja announced the formation of a new committee. It will be headed by the chief commissioner or deputy commissioner of Islamabad and include representation from the Election Commission, aiming to ensure smoother collaboration between the ECP and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration moving forward.
