ISLAMABAD  -       The joint sitting of the Parliament yesterday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2022 with an amendment while reverting to indirect elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayors of Municipal Corporation (MCI) of Islamabad.

The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022 around a month ago passed by the National Assembly and Senate empowering direct elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayors of Islamabad. Adopting an amendment moved by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad Khan of PML-N, the joint session omitted clause 3 of the previously passed bill reverting to indirect elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Clause 3 said that Mayor and the Deputy Mayor shall be directly elected as joint candidates by the voters. The election of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor shall be held on the day of election of members of Union Council. Minister for law Azam Nazir Tarar agreed with the amendment. He argued that direct elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayors would incur heavy expenses.

The house , however, allowed an increase in number of Union Councils from 101 to 125 keeping in view increase Islamabad’s population. The local government elections which were to be held on December 31, 2022 were postponed for want of increase in number of UCs and to holding direct elections of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Islamabad.

The ICT Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed by the National Assembly and Senate but was returned by President Arif Alvi without passage. It was considered and passed under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. The deferred the Protection of Parents Bill, 2022 which was passed by the National Assembly and not okayed by the Senate within 90 days.