ECP summons officials over Islamabad LG poll delay

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned the interior secretary and Islamabad chief commissioner over the continued delay in local government elections in the federal capital after the expiry of the relevant ordinance left the legal framework for the polls unresolved.

The commission has scheduled a hearing for October 21, 2026, and issued notices to both officials to explain the situation and assist in determining the way forward.

The ECP said it had completed the delimitation of constituencies and published the final lists on Wednesday. It now intends to proceed with the election schedule under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015, after hearing the concerned officials.

The delay follows the expiry of the Islamabad Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, on September 6. The federal government could not complete the required legislation before the deadline, leaving uncertainty over the legal provisions governing the elections.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior had approved the relevant bill on September 3. However, the legislative process remained incomplete when the ordinance expired.

The ECP said it had earlier submitted recommendations on the proposed Islamabad local government rules to the Ministry of Interior on July 20. The commission sought the necessary legislation and publication of the rules in accordance with its recommendations.

The Ministry of Law and Justice subsequently returned the draft rules to the interior ministry, citing the expiry of the ordinance and the resulting lack of legal authority to frame rules under it.

The commission has now called on the two senior officials to clarify the situation and help establish a workable legal basis for holding the elections.

Islamabad’s local government polls have faced repeated delays amid changes to the legal and administrative structure. The last elections were held in 2015, while the elected local government’s term ended in February 2021.

In January 2026, President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated an ordinance amending the existing local government law. The changes replaced the Metropolitan Corporation structure with three town corporations, requiring fresh delimitation and disrupting the previously planned election process.

The ECP subsequently cancelled the scheduled polls as the revised structure required constituencies to be redrawn.

The federal government then pursued further legislative changes to establish a new framework for local governance in Islamabad. Although the relevant parliamentary committee approved the proposed bill in September, the replacement legislation was not enacted before the ordinance lapsed.

The Constitution assigns the ECP responsibility for conducting local government elections under Articles 140-A and 219. Article 140-A provides for elected local governments and the devolution of political, administrative and financial authority to local representatives.

The October 21 hearing is expected to help determine whether the commission can move ahead under the 2015 law or whether further legislative action by the federal government is required before the election schedule can be announced.