ECP turns up heat on K-P, Islamabad over LG polls

Seeks maps, data by July 1 to break local polls deadlock

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday set July 1 as the deadline for authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Islamabad to submit long-pending maps, notifications and other data required to move forward with local government (LG) elections.

The commission summoned senior officials from both administrations to explain the prolonged delays.

Chairing a high-level meeting at the ECP Secretariat, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with commission members, the ECP secretary and senior officials, reviewed preparations for local government elections in Islamabad, Punjab and K-P.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of progress, the commission directed the K-P chief secretary, local government secretary, Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner to appear before it on July 1 after furnishing all outstanding documents.

The commission expressed particular concern over the K-P government's failure to provide the required maps and related data for 15 districts despite repeated requests.

Invoking Article 220 of the Constitution, which obliges executive authorities to assist the ECP in the discharge of its constitutional functions, the commission ordered notices to be issued to the K-P chief secretary and secretary for local government.

Both officials have been directed to submit the requisite maps and data before the next hearing on July 1 and personally explain the reasons behind the delay.

The commission was also informed that the matter relating to the delimitation of town corporations and notification of the number of union councils (UCs) in each town corporation in Islamabad had already been sent to the federal cabinet for approval.

However, despite the case being before the cabinet, the required notifications and maps have yet to be provided to the ECP. Consequently, the commission also fixed Islamabad's case for hearing on July 1 and issued notices to the Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner.

For Punjab, the ECP directed its provincial office to complete all necessary preparations so that the election schedule could be announced immediately after the delimitation exercise is finalised.

The commission noted that local government elections have faced repeated postponements across the country due to legal, administrative and procedural hurdles.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the tenure of local governments expired on March 15, 2026. Under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, elected local representatives serve a four-year term.

Under Article 140-A of the Constitution and Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, fresh local government elections were required within 120 days, meaning they should have been held by the end of April 2022.

However, repeated amendments to the provincial local government law prevented the process from moving forward.