ECP orders Punjab government to make a local body law in seven days

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Election Commission has ordered the Punjab government to make a local body law in seven days.

A three-member commission headed by the Chief Election Commissioner held a hearing on the local body elections in Punjab. During the hearing, the Special Secretary Election Commission said that on December 31, 2021, the term of the local government of Punjab was completed. “On April 14, 2022, the election commission released the schedule of local elections in Punjab. The Punjab government has just issued an ordinance for new local elections. The ordinance or its rules have not been shared with us.”

The Punjab Chief Secretary told the court that the Punjab Assembly is in session, in which the Local Ordinance will become a law.

In his remarks, the chief election commissioner said that if EVMs are imposed in haste, the election will become suspicious and anarchy will spread. “No government wants to hold local elections. Now we will not hold any more meetings with the Punjab government. The Punjab government is not implementing the orders of the Supreme Court.”

The chief election commissioner directed to write all the details in the letter to the Supreme Court that the Punjab government is not taking the local government elections seriously. The Punjab government is violating the Supreme Court orders. The Punjab government should make the local government law in seven days. Otherwise, local elections will be held on the previous law In Punjab. “If the Punjab government does not cooperate, then we will start the proceedings of the contempt commission. Later, the election commission adjourned the hearing till next Thursday.