Delimitation process begins today: LG polls in Punjab to be held in last week of December

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced that long-delayed local government elections in Punjab will be held in the last week of December, with the delimitation process set to begin from today (Thursday).

The ECP, in a written order, said the process of delimitation – redrawing of electoral boundaries – would be completed within two months, after which an election schedule would be announced.

The elections are to be conducted under the existing Punjab Local Government Act 2022 and associated rules, the ECP said.

Under Article 140-A of the Constitution and Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, the ECP is constitutionally bound to hold local government polls within 120 days of the expiry of the previous term.

However, elections in Punjab have faced repeated delays since local bodies were dissolved by the then-PTI-led government in April 2019.

Though the Supreme Court later reinstated the institutions, their term ended on December 31, 2021 – meaning fresh elections should have been held by April 2022. The provincial administration, however, continued amending the local government laws, preventing timely elections.

Wednesday’s order was issued by a four-member ECP bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and including members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, and Babar Hassan Bharwana.

The commission noted that despite repeated opportunities and requests, the Punjab government had failed to finalise new legislation or take meaningful steps to conduct the elections.

A previous order in June had given the provincial authorities three additional months to complete the legislative process, but the deadline passed without a response.

During the hearing, the provincial local government secretary told the ECP that the new legislation had been delayed due to recent floods, but claimed the bill was ready for introduction in the Punjab Assembly. He requested more time until the assembly convenes.

The ECP, however, said it had “exhausted all possible efforts” to facilitate the polls and accused the provincial government of “acting in a dilatory manner” to delay elections “on one or the other pretext”.

The commission reiterated its constitutional responsibility to conduct elections and urged the Punjab government to fulfil its obligation to establish and support the local government system, as mandated by law.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025