ISLAMABAD: (Web Desk) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday agreed in principle to a Punjab government proposal to hold long-delayed local government elections in the province between December 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.
The decision emerged from a high-level meeting at the ECP headquarters, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, to discuss the election schedule and preparations for restoring elected local governments across Punjab.
A four-member Punjab cabinet committee headed by Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq attended the meeting. The delegation included Mines and Minerals Minister Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, Agriculture Minister Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah and Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat.
The Punjab chief secretary and local government special secretary were also present, while ECP members, the commission’s secretary and other senior officials participated in the deliberations.
Raja stressed that establishing elected local governments was a constitutional obligation under Article 140-A of the Constitution.
He also referred to Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, under which the ECP is required to conduct local government elections within 120 days after the expiry of the term of local governments.
Officials informed the meeting that the delimitation process required for Punjab’s local government elections had been completed.
The commission said consultation with the provincial government was required before announcing an election date under Section 219(3) of the Elections Act, 2017, and Section 59 of the Punjab Local Government Act.
Punjab proposes December-January election window
The Punjab cabinet committee informed the ECP that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was committed to holding local government elections and had authorised the committee to consult the commission over arrangements.
Rafiq told the meeting that the provincial government needed sufficient time to initiate the election process and arrange the necessary resources.
He also pointed to the extensive use of teachers as election staff, arguing that holding polls between December 15 and January 15 would be more practical because students’ examinations would have concluded by then.
The proposed period would also help avoid difficulties associated with Punjab’s fog season, according to the provincial government’s position presented to the commission.
Punjab’s chief secretary proposed conducting the elections in phases during the suggested one-month period, saying phased polling would make it easier to provide adequate security and improve administrative arrangements.
The ECP subsequently agreed in principle to the proposed December 15, 2026, to January 15, 2027, window.
However, the commission asked the Punjab government to submit a detailed plan as soon as possible if it intends to conduct the elections in phases.
Raja welcomed the proposals presented by the provincial cabinet committee, saying progress towards the elections would help fulfil an important constitutional responsibility.
Punjab LG polls return after years of delays
Local government elections have remained pending in Punjab for years amid repeated changes to the province’s local government laws and disputes over electoral arrangements.
The last local government elections in Punjab were held in 2015 under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2013. Polling was conducted in phases between October and December that year, while elected councils formally assumed office in 2017 following indirect elections for mayors and chairpersons.
The PTI-led provincial government dissolved the elected local bodies in April 2019 before completion of their tenure. The Supreme Court subsequently overturned the decision and restored the institutions.
Those local governments eventually completed their tenure on December 31, 2021.
Since then, repeated amendments and replacements of Punjab’s local government legislation have complicated preparations for fresh elections. Legislative changes required the ECP to revisit processes including delimitation and election planning, contributing to prolonged delays.
The latest development marks a significant step towards restoring elected local governments in Pakistan’s most populous province.
The Punjab cabinet has already approved Rs12.52 billion for conducting the elections, providing financial backing for the electoral exercise.
A final election schedule will depend on further coordination between the ECP and provincial government, particularly over whether polling will be held simultaneously across Punjab or divided into phases.
