ECP Rejects Claims of Court Deadline for Punjab Local Government Elections
Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected claims that the Lahore High Court directed it to hold local government elections in Punjab within 45 days or submit a compliance report by April 15, 2026.
The clarification came in a written response presented in Parliament by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary to a question raised by MNA Sharmila Faruqui.
According to the response, the ECP stated that it had not received any court order directing local government elections to be conducted within 45 days. The commission also said it had never requested the postponement of local government elections before the Lahore High Court on security grounds.
The government further clarified that the court had not sought a compliance report from the ECP, making the question of contempt proceedings irrelevant. However, a copy of the Lahore High Court’s order dated April 15, 2026, was attached with the response.
On the issue of election preparations, the government said the ECP had not requested additional resources or personnel at this stage. It added that federal and provincial governments traditionally provide assistance and logistical support whenever elections are scheduled.
The response highlighted that local government elections in Punjab have been delayed amid repeated changes to the province’s local government laws. Since 2019, successive Punjab governments have enacted six different local government laws, significantly affecting the electoral process.
The term of Punjab’s local governments expired on December 31, 2021. Since then, the ECP has issued five delimitation schedules under different legal frameworks and completed the delimitation process twice, in 2022 and 2023. The commission also completed the enlistment of electoral groups twice and issued an election programme in April 2022, which was later suspended by the Lahore High Court’s Multan Bench.
Following the enactment of the Punjab Local Government Act, 2025, the Punjab government has provided the required data for fresh delimitations. The ECP issued a new delimitation schedule on April 15, 2026, and is expected to publish the final list of constituencies on August 10, 2026.
The Election Commission reiterated its commitment to holding local government elections in Punjab in accordance with constitutional and legal requirements. Under Article 140-A of the Constitution, provinces are required to establish local governments, while the ECP is responsible for conducting local government elections.
