Why did the ECP postpone local govt polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday decided to hold the first phase of local government elections in Punjab on Feb 7, 2027, in view of fog and weather conditions but postponed them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until further orders. According to the electoral watchdog, it halted all preparations for local government elections until further orders after the federal government…
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed the first phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) until further notice due to the extended suspension of Article 140-A of the Constitution. The decision came after the federal government extended the suspension of this article a day earlier than initially ordered by the ECP.
Article 140-A mandates the establishment of elected local governments, decentralizing political, administrative, and financial powers to them. The ECP halted all preparations for local government elections in KP after the federal government's move, as the provision creating the legal basis for holding such elections would no longer apply.
This decision effectively centralizes executive authority in the governor's hands, as the local government system becomes non-functional.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
