ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the powers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Ordinance, 2021.
The orders were passed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani during the hearing of a petition challenging the ordinance.
Justice Kiyani said the ECP has failed in holding local government polls in Islamabad in the past nine months, no one is representing the federal territory.
During the hearing, the IHC reprimanded the director general (law) of the ECP and suspended the delimitation rule.
Suspending the powers of the ECP, the IHC directed the government to present the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Ordinance, 2021 in Parliament for approval.
Later, the hearing was adjourned until March 3.
Under the ordinance, the local government elections are proposed to be held in May.
The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) ceased to exist on February 15 last year, after completing its five years terms. The last local government elections held in November 2015 were won by the PML-N.
