ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has adhered to its scheduled programme to hold Local Government (LG) polls on 15 February in spite of the federal cabinet’s 2 January 2026 decision to amend the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015, and defer the LG elections.
A senior ECP official told Business Recorder that the Commission is not bound by the federal cabinet’s decision.
“The ECP does not function as a subordinate entity to the PM or his federal cabinet. On the other hand, the PM and his government are bound to implement any decision taken by the ECP regarding conduct of an election,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
READ MORE: LG polls in ICT on Feb 15: ECP extends deadline for filing nomination papers
However, the official admitted, if the Parliament carries out legislation to amend the relevant LG laws related to ICT, and then the ECP would be required to review the situation accordingly.
The ICT LG term expired on 14 February 2021, but the ECP failed to hold the LG elections in the ICT within the 120-day stipulated period under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017.
This law provides that the ECP shall hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of the LG term in a province, cantonment, or ICT.
Keeping this in view, the ECP was required to hold the LG elections in the ICT by June 2021. On 18 November last year, the ECP announced to hold LG elections in the federal capital “immediately,” and directed its secretariat to issue the LG polls’ schedule forthwith. The related schedule was issued after almost three weeks, on 9 December.
Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and cantonments, but LG elections in Punjab and the federal capital have been delayed since 2021.
The LG term in Punjab expired on 31 December 2021.
The ECP has repeatedly said in official statements that “whenever” it finalises the LG polls’ preparations, the LG laws as amended by the governments concerned, caused a delay in the elections.
Article 218(3) of the Constitution provides that it shall be the ECP’s duty to organise and conduct the elections, and to make such arrangements as are necessary, to ensure that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly, and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.
Under the amended LG elections programme issued by the ECP last month, the filing of appeals against the decisions of the returning officers regarding acceptance / rejection of nomination papers related to LG elections in the ICT began on Wednesday, and will continue till Saturday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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