The Election Commission has made it clear once again that it will not be able to hold the elections until the government implements the report of the Federalism Implementation and Restructuring Committee, which is doing its work.

The EC has also asked for the approval of the Local Bodies Election Procedure Act or the Local Level Election Procedure Act so that it can draft the rules and directives for holding the local polls.

The commission had prepared the bill more than a year ago with a provision for having 50 percent women candidates at the local level. However, the government has yet to table the bill in Parliament for approval by a majority vote.

“The Restructuring Committee has not submitted its report. In order to hold the elections on schedule, the report has to be implemented by mid-September,” Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav told parliamentarians on Tuesday.

Yadav added that the EC could update the voter list only after the names, numbers and boundaries of the local bodies are finalised.