ECP proposes Dec 14 for Punjab local polls

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed December 14 as the date for local government elections in Punjab and sent a draft schedule to the provincial government for consultation.

The proposed timetable was forwarded to the Punjab chief secretary by the commission’s local government elections wing. The provincial government has been asked to share its views before the ECP finalises and formally announces the schedule.

Under the proposed plan, candidates would submit nomination papers from October 27 to 30. The scrutiny process would take place from November 2 to 5.

Candidates would have the opportunity to challenge decisions on nomination papers from November 7 to 11. Election tribunals would decide the appeals between November 12 and 16.

November 18 has been proposed as the final date for withdrawing candidature. The final list of candidates would be published on November 19, followed by the allocation of election symbols on November 20.

Polling is proposed for December 14, while returning officers would announce the results by December 17.

The proposal follows consultations between the ECP and a Punjab cabinet committee in August. At that meeting, the provincial government had suggested holding local government elections between December 15 and January 15, 2027.

The Punjab cabinet had earlier approved Rs12.5 billion for the local government elections.

The province has not held fresh local government elections since the previous polls in 2015. The elected local bodies completed their term in December 2021, but subsequent legal and administrative changes delayed the electoral process.

Under Article 140A of the Constitution and the Elections Act, local government elections are required to be held within 120 days after the expiry of local bodies. The Punjab polls were therefore due in 2022 but have remained pending amid repeated changes to the provincial local government framework and other administrative issues.