Plea seeks delay in Islamabad LG polls

ISLAMABAD:

The schedule for local government elections in the federal capital has been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with the petitioner seeking suspension or postponement of the electoral process until the legal dispute is resolved.

The petition also seeks fresh and transparent delimitation of constituencies in accordance with the law before the elections are held.

The petition was filed by Chaudhry Amjad Ali through his counsel, Barrister Adil Aziz Qazi, making the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Law and the Capital Development Authority (CDA), among others, respondents.

The petitioner contended that elections could not be held without first determining the legal validity of the existing constituency delimitations.

He maintained that the legal term of Islamabad's local government bodies had expired in February 2021 and that, under the Elections Act 2017, holding elections within 120 days of the expiry of their term was a legal requirement.

The ECP has scheduled the submission of nomination papers from November 2 to 6, 2026, while polling for the local government elections in Islamabad is scheduled for December 20, 2026.

The petitioner alleged that the ECP intended to conduct the elections on the basis of the previous delimitations.