Islamabad, October 8
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to hold the long-delayed local government (LG) elections in Punjab in the last week of December 2025, with the process of delimitation set to begin on Thursday and completed within two months, Dawn reported.
According to the order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the decision was taken by a four-member ECP bench.
The order stated that the ECP had "decided to hold the local government elections in the province of Punjab on basis of the existing local government law i.e. the Punjab Local Government Act 2022 and Rules framed thereunder. The office (ECP) is directed to initiate the process of delimitation from tomorrow and shall further complete it within two months. Thereafter, the election programme should be announced and the election should be held in the last week of December, 2025."
The order further noted that the "office is expected to follow the timelines strictly."
Referring to an earlier order issued in June, the ECP recalled that the Punjab government had been granted three months to complete various activities related to the election process "in the interest of justice."
"In case of failure, the commission will issue appropriate orders regarding the conduct of local government elections in the province of Punjab," the June order had stated, as reported by Dawn.
The ECP said that since no response was received from the Punjab government within the three-month period, the matter was once again taken up for hearing. A notice was issued to the local government secretary to appear before the bench, Dawn reported.
According to the latest order, the ECP bench comprised Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, and Babar Hassan Bharwana.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Local government elections are crucial for grassroots democracy. Good to see ECP taking charge when the provincial government failed to act. This is how institutions should function! ðŸ‘
December 2025? That's more than a year away! The timeline seems unnecessarily stretched. In India, our election commission manages to conduct elections much more efficiently. Hope Pakistan can learn from our model.
As someone who follows regional politics, I appreciate that the ECP is sticking to its constitutional mandate. Strong election commissions are vital for any democracy. Wishing our Pakistani friends peaceful and fair elections! ðŸ™
The Punjab government's failure to respond within the given timeframe shows lack of political will. Local bodies are the foundation of democracy - they shouldn't be treated as optional. Hope the people get their right to choose local representatives soon.
While I support democratic processes everywhere, I wonder if the extended timeline indicates deeper administrative challenges. Hope the delimitation process is fair and transparent. Local elections often get overshadowed by national politics everywhere.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.