According to a local media report, holding of local body polls in the region may not be possible in the next couple of months as the government of the region has not yet release a single penny to the Election Commission of the area on account of local body polls. As per report, Election Commissioner of the area AbidRaza has said that government of the region was required to take measures about the provision of funds to provide the funds to Election Commission and news were being heard in this regard, but the commission has not yet received any fund from the government of the area. According to media report, he further pointed out that due to non-provision of funds, Election Commission would face difficulties for holding of local body polls in the region, where-as cabinet of the region has not yet approved the summary pertaining to delimitation. Earlier, Governor of the region Syed Mehdi Shah had said that local body polls would be held in the next couple of month i.e before the installation of interim government in the region during the next year.
Local body polls were not held in the region for the last 20 years despite of time and again claims of the portfolio holders of the area for holding of local body polls in the region very soon and few days ago Governor of the region Syed Mehdi Shah had said that local body polls would be held in the region during the next couple of months and powers would be devolved to the elected representatives of the local body institutions before the installation of interim government in the region after the completion of five year tenure of the incumbent government of the area. It may be pertinent to mention here that local body minister of the regional government had earlier claimed that government had received the funds for holding of local body polls in the region and local body polls would be held in the next few months. Now according to the media report, Election Commissioner of the region AbidaRaza has said that Election Commission of the region has not yet received a single penny from the government of the region on account of holding of local body polls in the region and emphasized that government of the area was required to take necessary measures for provision of fund, otherwise, it would be difficult for holding of local body polls in the region. Moreover, he also pointed out that cabinet of the region has also not yet approved the summary regarding the delimitation process and notification to this effect has not been issued due to which Election Commission could not complete the process regarding the local body constituencies in the area. If the cabinet of the region has not approved the summary pertaining to delimitation process, then how the Election Commission of the region could complete the process regarding the constituencies of the local body institutions in the region. It was beyond the understanding that why the governments of the region established after the enforcement of Order-2009 has been reluctant about the holding of local body polls in the region and devolved the powers at gross root level in order to resolve the petty issues of the people at their door step. It may be advantageous to point out here that Chief Election Commissioner of the region Raja Shahbaz Khan was making his endeavors so that local body polls could be held in the region and problems of the people could be resolved and his efforts in this regard are highly appreciable. We would urge the government of the region to approve the summary pertaining to delimitation process of the local body’s and provide the requisite funds to the Election Commission of the area as soon as possible, so that local body polls could be held in the region during the next few months
