Cabinet approved amended Islamabad LG law, says Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced on Wednesday that the federal cabinet approved the amended Islamabad local government (LG) law, ARY News reported.

In a Twitter message, Asad Umar said that the new Islamabad LG law will create the most empowered local government in the history of Pakistan.

He said that for the first time, the government has introduced a law that fully meets the requirements of Article 140a of the Constitution which requires empowered local governments.

Yesterday, the federal cabinet had also approved the constitution of committee regarding Electronic Voting Machines to be headed by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan.

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Moreover, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had formed committees to implement legislation on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and i-voting, days after the joint session of Parliament approved bills regarding them.

According to the ECP, three committees were formed with one looking into its technical aspects, the second one determining the expenditure to be incurred on the process and the third one suggesting lacunas in the legislation and rules.

The technical committee would be headed by the secretary of the election commission and would look into the working of the EVMs and internet voting. The committee would prepare a request for proposal (RFP) and identify where they could be used.

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The second committee would be led by an additional secretary admin and it would determine the expenditure to be incurred on adopting voting through EVMs and internet voting. The body would also devise a mechanism for pilot testing and the use of the machines.

The ECP had shared that a third committee would be headed by director-general law and it would suggest amendments in currently applied legislation and rules with regard to the EVM and internet voting.