LAHORE, Dec 10 (FD): The Election Commission of Pakistan said on Friday the delimitation of constituencies in Punjab for local government elections would be started from next week.
The top election body in a statement said the process would be started from Dec 16 and concluded by Jan 6, 2023. It is for the third time that ECP is delimiting constituencies in the province.
It would issue an interim list on Jan 7 while hear reservations against the delimitations from Jan 9 till Jan 23. A final list of new constituencies would be issued on Feb 12, the ECP said.
Earlier this month, the ECP announced to hold long-delayed local bodies elections in Punjab in April 2023.The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Elections Commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja. The meeting was briefed that the top election body had to delimit the constituencies for the third time.
The commission has blamed the provincial government for the delay in the LG polls, saying amending the rules from time to time caused the delay.
Earlier this year, the PML-N came into power in Punjab for a short period and it replaced the PTI’s local bodies laws with its own version.
After the former chief minister Hamza Shahbaz -led government was removed, the PTI regained control of the province and they repealed the PML-N’s version concerning LG polls.
The Punjab s most recent LG elections were held on a party basis in light with a verdict of the Supreme Court. However, the election members could not serve the people as the PTI had rendered the local bodies financially and administratively ineffective and their termed expired in 2021.
According to the latest Punjab Local Government Act 2022, the election for mayor of the metropolitan corporations and District Council in all divisional headquarters will be held by direct voting.
