ECP staff unable to reach polling stations; voters protest as PTI decries move
\n ISLAMABAD
\nThe Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was unable to start polling for local body elections in Islamabad on Saturday, despite an order from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
\nThe polling for the local body elections was scheduled to commence at 8 am, however, the ECP staff was unable to reach the respective polling stations.
\nVoters arrived for polling in Saidpur village union council (UC) and queued in protest as the gates for the polling station remained closed and staff was absent.
\nSimilarly, in UC 37, voters lodged a strong protest after being unable to cast their votes.
\nMeanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan tweeted that \u201cby not implementing IHC orders to hold LG elections in Islamabad today, ECP has again shown it is B team of [the] imported government and its backers\u201d.
\nHe alleged that the incumbent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government was \u201cfearful of the people\u201d and was \u201crunning away from all elections\u201d.
\nThe deposed premier furthered that the right to vote was a \u201cfundamental democratic norm\u201d to which the PTI was \u201ccommitted\u201d.
\nPTI General Secretary Asad Umar said that his party\u2019s workers were present outside polling stations from the morning but no one from the ECP had arrived. He alleged that the government was afraid of the people and bolted whenever elections were held.
\nAsad Umar questioned why the ECP\u2019s preparations were incomplete and declared that his party wanted to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the electoral watchdog.
\nIntra-court appeal filed
\nThe ECP and the federal government filed intra-court appeals against the IHC\u2019s order to hold local body elections in Islamabad.
\nJamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Mian Aslam and PTI\u2019s Ali Nawaz Awan were made parties in the ECP\u2019s application.
\nHowever, the IHC Registrar\u2019s Office objected to the commission\u2019s appeal as some documents were reportedly missing from the appeal. The ECP\u2019s legal team is currently working towards removing the objections.
\nAdditional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dugal also filed an appeal on behalf of the federal government.
\nPML-N leader Chaudhry Fazal Tariq, while talking to reporters in Islamabad, said that the incumbent government respected the high court\u2019s orders but maintained that it was not possible to hold local government elections within a day. He added that the government would follow whatever ruling the court issues next.
\nIHC mandate
\nEarlier, the IHC ordered the ECP to conduct local government elections in the federal capital on Saturday as per schedule, asking the federal government to assist the electoral watchdog in ensuring the holding of the polls.
\nThe court cancelled the December 19 notification of the interior ministry regarding the increase in the number of union councils, while the December 27 notification of the ECP regarding the postponement of the elections was nullified.
\nThe federal government excused itself from providing security to the ECP for the Islamabad LG elections, while the ECP made it clear that due to the lack of logistical support, election staff and other arrangements, it was not possible to hold the polls on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ECP staff unable to reach polling stations; voters protest as PTI decries move ISLAMABAD The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was unable to start polling for local body elections in Islamabad on Saturday, despite an order from the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The polling for the local body elections was scheduled to commence at 8 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-304750","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n