Failure to hold LG polls: PTI demands contempt of court action against ECP

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have demanded to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for its failure to comply with the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) and hold local government elections in the federal capital today (Saturday, Dec 31).

The Islamabad High Court on Friday had set aside ECP’s notification of postponing the local government polls scheduled for December 31 and had ordered both the federal government and the ECP to hold the polls on time.

However, the ECP filed an intra-court appeal, challenging the single bench verdict of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The ECP prayed to the IHC to fix the hearing of its petition for today, and suspend the single bench’s verdict.

In a video message, senior PTI leader Asad Umar strongly criticized the ECP and the government and demanded to try the electoral body for committing contempt of court.

Another senior leader Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and shared photos of voters standing in long queues outside polling stations across Islamabad. He said despite clear IHC orders, elections had been withheld and the (federal) government, fearing the power of the vote, was mocking the public and the constitution in connivance with the Election Commissioner.