The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has resolved the long-standing dispute over local bodies elections in the federal capital with a decision that the polls will be held in 125 union councils (UCs) within the next 120 days. The court has also stated that the federal government will be prohibited from increasing UCs prior to the upcoming election.

The decision was made in response to intra-court appeals that were filed against the original decision regarding polls in Islamabad. The ruling will come as a relief to citizens of the city, who have been eagerly anticipating the holding of LG elections after a gap of several years.

The court’s decision was based on a review of the evidence presented in the case, which included testimony from representatives of various political parties and civil society groups. The court ultimately concluded that the best course of action was to proceed with the previously planned local bodies elections, which will be held in 125 UCs across Islamabad.

The ruling also included a provision prohibiting the federal government from increasing UCs again before the upcoming elections. Following the decision, the Islamabad High Court disposed of the intra-court appeals, bringing an end to a legal battle that had been ongoing for several months.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP