ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its judgment in a petition demanding early local government elections in the federal capital.
A single bench of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on Monday heard the case.
During the hearing, Justice Kayani expressed severe displeasure over the continuous failure to hold polls, remarking that the absence of elected local representatives has brought civic functions to a standstill. He stated that the prolonged delay in holding the local bodies’ elections has paralysed the entire system. “Without elected representatives, no property tax can be imposed, and nothing is functioning properly,” Justice Kayani said and added, “Court orders regarding local elections have repeatedly been violated.”
The judge also expressed astonishment at the conduct of the authorities. “It is astonishing that those who ordered elections in a single day later suspended their own decision in a division bench. Since 2021, you have been consistently violating the law,” he added.
Assistant Attorney General Usman Ghumman, representing the government, argued that the delay was a result of recent amendments to the local government law, asserting that legislation and its amendments fall squarely within Parliament’s jurisdiction.
Justice Kayani; however, countered this by noting the current Parliament’s legislative priorities. “The current Parliament is busy dealing with the 27th Constitutional Amendment and constitutional interpretations —other amendments seem unlikely at this stage,” he stated. He further emphasised that “not every wrong act can be defended,” while acknowledging that “Parliament is supreme and has the power to amend or repeal any law.”
The judge noted that when flawed laws are passed, they are eventually rolled back, a process that consumes valuable time.
The ECP’s DG Law, Arshad Khan, conceded before the court that complexities arising from amendments to the Local Government Act 2025 had contributed to the delay in conducting the elections.
Seeking a concrete timeline, Justice Kayani then asked the ECP official, “So when will you announce the schedule for local elections? If you provide a date, the court can also set a corresponding deadline.”
The court also criticised the capital’s administrative setup, highlighting that the posts of CDA chairman and chief commissioner of Islamabad are held by the same individual. “The government finds it convenient to let one person hold two offices while ignoring the rest,” the court remarked. “All powers of elected local representatives have been handed over to the CDA, and no one has safeguarded the local government system.”
Following these arguments, the IHC reserved its judgment.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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