ECP suspends Islamabad LG polls programme

Islamabad witnessed another development in the ongoing saga of delayed local government elections as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suspended its poll programme on 20 December, as ordered by the superior judiciary. The decision was made in response to a writ petition filed by Chaudhry Amjad Ali, who argued against conducting the elections until the status of constituency delimitation in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) was determined.

A single-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), headed by Justice Umair Majeed Malik, stayed the scheduled local government elections until the next hearing date of 26 November. The court's order stated that points raised require consideration and notice be issued to the respondents with directions to file para-wise comments before the next hearing. The impugned order and election schedule, dated 21.10.2026 and 21.10.2016, respectively, as revised by the ECP, shall remain suspended till the next date of hearing.

The ECP initiated the delimitation of constituencies in October to hold ICT LG elections in line with the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, promulgated on 10 January. However, the ordinance was extended for 120 days after its expiry on 6 September. The bill introducing an LG system in Islamabad, comprising three town corporations headed by mayors and deputy mayors, was passed by the National Assembly's interior panel in September but not presented during the prorogued session last month.

The five-member full ECP bench had also earlier directed the ECP Secretariat to immediately issue the LG elections programme for ICT based on relevant laws, following the passage of new LG laws by Parliament. The ICT LG term ended in February 2021.