ECP Summons KP, Islamabad Officials Over LG Poll Delays
The Election Commission of Pakistan has summoned senior officials from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad for July 1 after delays in the submission of maps, notifications and data required for local government elections. The development, reported from Islamabad on Tuesday, adds pressure on provincial and federal authorities as long-pending local polls continue to face administrative obstacles.
The commission reviewed preparations for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad and Punjab during a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. ECP members, the commission secretary and senior officials attended the session, where the delay in receiving essential election material came under scrutiny.
In the case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ECP expressed concern that the provincial government had not provided required maps and related data for 15 districts despite repeated requests. The commission directed that notices be issued to the KP chief secretary and the provincial local government secretary, requiring them to submit the material before July 1 and appear personally to explain the delay.
The ECP also took notice of the situation in Islamabad, where local government elections have remained stalled for years. Officials informed the commission that the matter involving delimitation of town corporations and notification of union councils had been sent to the federal cabinet, but the required notifications and maps had still not reached the election body.
The commission summoned the Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner for the same July 1 hearing. It also invoked Article 220 of the Constitution, which requires executive authorities to assist the Election Commission in the performance of its duties, signalling that the matter is being treated as more than a routine procedural delay.
Local government polls in Islamabad have been repeatedly postponed since the previous setup expired in February 2021. The delay has left around 2.5 million residents without elected municipal representation, affecting civic issues such as water supply, sanitation, road maintenance and neighbourhood-level administrative oversight.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also under pressure because the tenure of its last local governments ended on March 15 this year. Under the relevant provincial law, local representatives serve a fixed four-year term, after which fresh elections are required to restore grassroots democratic structures.
Punjab’s local government elections were also discussed during the meeting. The commission directed its office to complete all preparations so that an election schedule can be announced as soon as the delimitation process is completed, keeping the province under watch amid a long history of delays and legal changes affecting local bodies.
The broader issue is politically important because local governments are the closest tier of elected representation for citizens. When these institutions remain absent, administrative control shifts to appointed officials, weakening public accountability and limiting communities’ ability to influence local development priorities.
The next major test will come on July 1, when the summoned officials are expected to appear before the ECP and explain why the required election data has not been supplied. If the commission receives the missing documents, it may move closer to announcing schedules; otherwise, further notices or stronger legal action could follow.