Local government polls: ECP constitutes delimitation committees

MULTAN: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has started preparations for local government polls under the new LG system and constituted delimitation committees headed by respective District Election Commissioners, it is learnt.

Neighborhood councils in cities, urban areas and village panchayat councils would be established in rural areas. The local government department has started delimitations for neighborhood councils and village panchayat councils, officials said. This was disclosed at a high level meeting held here at circuit house on Monday. Briefing the participants Multan LG Director Imtiaz Kitchi said the ECP has constituted delimitation committees headed by DEC and the delimitation process would start from July 27 on a regular basis. Initial lists of delimitations would make public on August 21. The objections against delimitations would receive from August 22 to September 6 and decision on objections will be made until October 5. The final lists of delimitations would be released on October 13, Imtiaz Kitchi said. The Multan district consists of one metropolitan corporation, two municipal committees, six town committees and three tehsil councils. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amir Khatak said numbers of 455 Mozas are part of the district including 275 Mozas in Multan tehsil Sadar, Shujabad 107 and Jalalpur Pirwala 73 Mozas. Each neighborhood council and village council would consist of 15,000 and 20,000 population, respectively. The numbers of general, minority and women seats would depend upon size of population. The neighborhood and village council chairpersons would be elected through direct and non party elections. Punjab Minister Energy Dr Akhtar Malik, MNA Ahmed Hassan Dehr, Mian Tariq Abdullah, barrister Wasim Khan Badozai and others also spoke on the occasion.