ISLAMABAD, Dec 23 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has
expressed satisfaction on accomplishment of constitutional obligation to
peacefully hold local government elections of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in the Punjab Province.
According to ECP, the commission has accomplished the constitutional
obligation under Article 140A of the Constitution of Islamic Republic
of Pakistan.
It said the commission has successfully conducted local government
elections to the Cantonment Boards for the first time in April, 2015 against
direct seats of 42 Cantonment Boards whereas, elections to indirect seats
were held in the month of May, 2015.
Moreover, local government elections for the Islamabad Capital Territory were held in November, 2015 against 731 seats of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad.
The commission undertook local government elections in KPK province from
May, 2015 to August, 2015 against 42858 constituencies and such returned candidates
were accordingly notified. After the oath of Nazims and Naib Nazims, local
government institutions of the KPK Province started functioning from September, 2015.
It said direct elections in the Punjab and Sindh provinces were held in three phases from October, 2015 to December, 2015 against 15081 seats of Sindh province and 31692 seats of the Punjab province.
Elections to all but 5000 indirect seats of Sindh Province were held from May, 2016 to June, 2016 and with the election of Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Mayors and Deputy Mayors etc.
It said in the month of August, 2016 the entire process in Sindh Province was successfully completed.
The ECP conducted elections to the 20075 indirect seats of the Punjab
province in the month of November, 2016 and on Thursday with the elections of mayors, deputy mayors, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in the province, the ECP has fulfilled its mandate in conducting local government elections throughout the country against more than 115200 constituencies of the local government institutions.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP has already completed the
process of local government elections in Balochistan against 13180 seats in
2013-14.
The commission appreciated the assistance, cooperation and support by all the stakeholders and state institutions in successful conduct of such elections. It added that ECP’s staff at provincial, divisional and district levels also deserves appreciation for their untiring efforts in successful conduct of elections.