ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad local government elections have once again been postponed by the federal government on the pretext of introducing another ordinance to restructure the LG system.
President of Pakistan has promulgated the Islamabad Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, under which the existing Metropolitan Corporation system has been abolished and replaced with three Town Corporations. These town corporations will be formed on the basis of Islamabad’s three National Assembly constituencies.
According to the ordinance, each Town Corporation will consist of a mayor, two deputy mayors, and general members drawn from Union Councils. The federal government will notify the number of Union Councils within each Town Corporation. While boundaries may be revised after public objections and recommendations, no changes will be allowed once the election schedule is announced.
The ordinance defines local government as comprising Union Councils and Town Corporations. In areas where local governments are not functional, the government will appoint administrators. Each Town Corporation will also include reserved seats: four for women and one each for a farmer or worker, trader or businessman, youth, and non-Muslim representative.
At the Union Council level, general members will be elected through secret ballot under a multi-member ward system. Voters will cast a vote for one candidate, and the nine candidates securing the highest votes will be declared elected. These members will later elect the chairman and vice chairman through a show of hands.
Elected members, including chairmen and vice chairmen, will be allowed to join any political party within 30 days of their election. Union Council chairmen will serve as general members of the respective Town Corporations.
At the Town Corporation level, all members will jointly elect the mayor and deputy mayors through a majority vote. Only members of the Town Corporation will be eligible to contest for these positions.
The Election Commission of Pakistan will be responsible for delimiting Union Council boundaries, while the federal government may increase or decrease the number of Union Councils within a Town Corporation on the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior.
