ECP has suspended all ongoing preparations for LG polls across KP

ISLAMABAD: The twists and turns involving the conduct of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa— in the aftermath of the last month’s imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province— took a new turn on Thursday, as the electoral body announced to pause LG polls arrangements, citing the suspension of the relevant law by the federal government, over a week after ordering to hold the said elections in 17 districts of KP.

In a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the ECP reviewed the federal government’s decision from a day ago wherein the latter suspended Article 140-A of the Constitution.

Keeping this development in view, the meeting, after due consideration, decided to pause the KP LG polls arrangements till further orders, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The Article 140A(2) reads that the LG elections shall be held by the ECP.

On 28 November, the ECP ordered holding the LG elections in 17 of those 23 districts of KP where the delimitation of constituencies was completed, excluding six delimited districts of the 12 districts that currently operate under the Area Representative and Development Council (ADRC), established by the federal government following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP.

Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Abbottabad, Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Kolai Palas, Buner, Chitral Lower, Dir Lower and Dir Upper are the 17 districts where LG polls are planned to be held in accordance with the order issued by the five-member full ECP bench on October 28.

Bannu, Mohmand, Orakzai, Lakki Marwat, Tank and North Waziristan are the remaining six districts where delimitation for LG polls stands completed, but they are part of the ADRC.

On October 11, emergency and governor’s rule were imposed in KP. Relatedly, the federal government notified the ARDC, a 48-member advisory body to “oversee governance, security and development in 12 designated districts in KP.” These districts are: Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan, Lower South Waziristan, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat.

On January 16 this year, the ECP notified to launch the delimitation of constituencies in 24 districts of KP with effect from January 19. However, the delimitation was completed in 23 districts, excluding Swat, where delimitation was stopped after the KP government notified to divide district Swat into two districts; the district Swat and the district Bar Swat, on January 27.

The remaining 23 districts that saw the completion of delimitation in April are: Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Orakzai, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, Tank, Abbottabad, Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Kolai Palas, Buner, Chitral Lower, Dir Lower and Dir Upper.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026