ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday said it was ready to hold local government elections in Punjab and 23 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; however, repeated last-minute amendments by the federal and provincial governments had stalled the process.

In Punjab, hearings on objections to the preliminary delimitation had concluded, the ECP said.

“Delimitation authorities will communicate their decisions to the committee by Aug 7, 2026, and the final delimitation will be published on Aug 17, 2026.”

The ECP said it would immediately consult the Punjab government to announce the election schedule.

“The commission is fully ready to hold local government elections in Punjab,” it stated.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it said that delimitation had been completed in 23 districts, while it was underway in seven others.

Under Section 219(3) of the Elections Act, the ECP met the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and local government secretary on July 14, 2026, to discuss the election schedule for the 23 districts. At the province’s request, 15 days were granted.

However, on July 21, 2026, the provincial government amended Section 5(e) of the KP Local Government Act, increasing the population threshold for village and neighbourhood councils from 5,000–15,000 to 30,000–40,000. The number of seats in the Ninth Schedule was not revised accordingly.

The ECP informed the provincial government that the mismatch made delimitation in those districts impossible. On July 28, the chief secretary said the government wanted to amend the 9th Schedule and asked for three weeks. The ECP had granted the time but said it remains ready to hold elections.

The ECP noted that under Article 219(D), Article 140-A of the Constitution and Section 219 of the Elections Act 2017, it is required to hold local government elections within 120 days of the expiry of local government terms.

It said the commission had completed delimitation and issued schedules for Islamabad and the provinces on multiple occasions in the past, but the process was derailed each time when federal and provincial governments introduced amendments to local government laws during or immediately after delimitation.

Citing the same pattern in KP, the ECP said such changes at the eleventh hour made it impossible to hold polls on time and created legal and administrative confusion.

To prevent future delays, the commission proposed amendments to Article 140-A and Section 219 to prohibit governments from altering local government laws or district boundaries after the expiry of terms. It also suggested that any major restructuring of the local government system be enacted at least one year before the expiry of terms to allow timely elections.

According to the spokesperson, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, responding on behalf of the federal government, said legislation was the prerogative of parliament and could not be restricted. The ECP clarified that it had only proposed the changes to enable it to fulfil its constitutional obligation of holding timely elections.

The commission maintained that without legal safeguards, the cycle of delimitation, amendment and postponement was likely to continue.

Delimitation to begin from August 1 in Islamabad

The ECP also announced that delimitation for local government elections in the federal capital would formally begin on Aug 1.

In a separate statement, the ECP spokesperson said training of delimitation committees for Islamabad had been completed and that the deputy commissioner had been provided with maps.

Delimitation would formally begin on Aug 1, 2026, and be completed by Oct 13, 2026, he added.

“The commission has also submitted its recommendations on the draft Local Government Conduct of Election Rules to the Ministry of Interior and the Islamabad chief commissioner, and urged their immediate notification so that printing of ballot papers and other election material can begin,” the spokesperson said.