ISLAMABAD: The electoral body has finally fixed for hearing today (Thursday) the cases involving prolonged delay in the conduct of local government elections in Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province, and Islamabad, the federal capital.The cause list issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suggested that notices were issued to Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Secretary LG Punjab Shakeel Ahmad Mian for appearance regarding Punjab LG polls case.Separately, notices were issued to Secretary Interior Khurram Agha and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa over Islamabad LG polls elections delay.The five-member full ECP bench hears both the cases.The hearing of the case regarding Punjab LG elections delay was scheduled earlier on the 20th of last month, before the ECP de-listed this case without giving any reason.During the last hearing of this case on 22 January, the ECP constituted a committee to work in coordination with Punjab government to finalise measures for holding LG elections in Punjab, warning that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz would be summoned if the provincial government continued to show non-compliance with electoral body’s directions over holding LG elections.The ECP bench constituted the committee under the command of Special Secretary ECP Zafar Iqbal Hussain, tasked to work in coordination with a Punjab government’s committee.The ECP-formed committee was directed to finalise steps by 10 February for holding LG elections in the province.Apart from that, the LG elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) were scheduled on 15 February before the electoral body postponed them upon the promulgation of Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 by the federal government, wherein, the structure of local governments and mode of LG elections in ICT was changed, in January.Thereafter, the ECP, in a letter to the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, proposed amending the electoral laws to hold new LG elections under the LG laws applicable at the time of the expiry of the term or dissolution of a local government.Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and cantonment boards, but LG elections in Punjab and the federal capital have been facing an inordinate delay since 2021.The local bodies’ term in the ICT expired on 14 February 2021 and in Punjab on 31 December 2021. Legally, the electoral body is bound to hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of the relevant local bodies’ term, under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017.Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
