Punjab proposes holding local government elections in three phases in April
LAHORE: The Punjab government appears set to delay the long-awaited local government elections in the province once again, despite the polling schedule proposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), it emerged on Thursday. Earlier this month, the electoral body proposed holding local government elections in Punjab on December 14 and sent a draft of the suggested schedule to the Punjab…
The Punjab government is considering holding local government elections in three separate phases in April 2027, according to a letter sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday. Despite the ECP proposing December 14 for the elections, the Punjab cabinet opted for a phased approach, citing severe winter weather conditions and religious observances as key factors.
The proposed dates are April 4, 11, and 18, all of which fall on Sundays. This decision follows recommendations from a ministerial committee that met on October 5 to discuss the ECP's draft schedule. The committee considered the impact of smog, dense fog, adverse winter weather conditions during December and January, and the onset of Ramazan in February.
The phased approach aims to facilitate effective deployment of election staff, secure transportation of polling materials, and improve voter accessibility. The last local government elections in Punjab were held in 2015, and they have been delayed repeatedly since then due to administrative changes and legal challenges.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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