ECP calls for review of delay in local body elections.

Byline: Mohammad Ashfaq

PESHAWAR -- The Election Commission of Pakistan has raised objections to a recent ordinance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government that delayed the local body elections in the province for two years and declared the move a violation of the local government law and the Election Act, 2017.

The elections were delayed by the provincial government through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Epidemic Control and Emergency Relief Ordinance, 2020, promulgated on May 12.

The ordinance meant to provide for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the province, to implement and enforce a mechanism to control the spread of such diseases and to provide relief to the people in an emergency situation.

The law also provides for delaying the holding of the local government elections by extending transition period of switching over to new local government system introduced in April last year from six months to two years.

CM aide says law allows govt to legislate according to circumstances

Through the ordinance, Section 120-A of KP Local Government Act, which was introduced last year for drastically changing the previous LG system, has now been amended to provide two years' time instead of six months for all administrative actions for giving effect to the new local government system.

It further declares that the election of any local government shall not be conducted during the currency of declaration of the infectious disease.

The ECP has raised objections through a letter sent to the provincial local government department.

'---the extension of transition period for two years by a provision of KP Epidemic Control and Emergency Ordinance is not in conformity with Local Government Act 2013 and Elections Act, 2017 and the same may be reviewed and needful may be done as per law,' read the commission's letter.

The ECP sought compliance report from the government.

The last local government setup in the province was dissolved on Aug 28 after its four years tenure and under the Election Act 2017, the polls should...