New Local Government Act takes effect

Under the new Local Government Act 2025, the District Council system across Punjab, including Rawalpindi, has been formally abolished, effective Monday, October 13.

The act introduces a new structure comprising Municipal Corporations, Tehsil Councils, and Municipal (Town) Committees, bringing the total number of local bodies in Rawalpindi district to 15 - one Municipal Corporation, seven Tehsil Councils, and seven Municipal Committees.

With the enforcement of the new law, all previous delimitations and boundaries established under the 2022 Act stand dissolved. As a result, 35 District Councils across Punjab, including District Council Rawalpindi and Metropolitan Corporation Lahore, will cease to exist.

Under the new system, each Union Council will represent a population between 22,000 and 27,000, and will comprise 13 members in total - including 9 directly elected councillors and 4 reserved seats (for women, youth, labour, and minorities). The Union Council members will elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman through voting.

In Lahore, the Metropolitan Corporation will be replaced by several Town Municipal Corporations, each having its own assembly consisting of Union Council chairmen as members. The number of Union Councils in Lahore will increase from 274 to over 400, while Rawalpindi is also expected to see an expansion in its total UC count.