ECP seeks SC guidelines on LB elections in Islamabad

Islamabad
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has filed a civil miscellaneous application (CMA) in the Supreme Court to seek fresh guidelines with regards to the upcoming local bodies polls in Islamabad in the absence of a law.
An ECP source told The News that the application was filed after anticipating that the related draft law might not be enacted by the Parliament in next few weeks while there were already strong voices for holding the polls on party basis for 79 union councils.
The apex court has admitted the application and fixed Monday for hearing of the matter, it was learnt.
Meanwhile, here at the Election Commission meeting at the ECP Secretariat, the secretary interior informed the forum that it was unlikely the draft would be through the Parliament shortly.
He explained that there were clear hints that a number of political parties in the Senate wanted some fundamental amendments in the draft bill. The draft has been adopted by the National Assembly in March this year, but it has got stuck up in the upper house of Parliament.
A key player in the Senate, Pakistan People’s Party, has questioned the electoral process through its parliamentary leader in the House Saeed Ghani under a privilege motion, which is now with the Senate House Committee on Privileges. It is to be seen as to when the concerned panel will take it up. Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldeni has been recently elected its chairman.
The electoral exercise in the Islamabad Capital Territory will take place on July 25 when nearly 0.7 million voters will go to polls.