ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to immediately move forward with local government elections in Punjab and cantonment areas, ARY News reported.
The ECP has directed that the draft election schedule for Punjab be submitted for immediate approval. It also declared the Punjab government’s response unsatisfactory over the delay in holding local government elections.
According to the ECP, the Punjab government wants to hold the elections in April 2027, citing December fog, cold weather and Ramadan as reasons for postponing the polls.
The commission said there had been an agreement to hold local government elections in Punjab between December 15 and January 15. However, the provincial government has yet to provide lists of the relevant officers required for the electoral process.
The ECP has directed the Punjab government to submit lists of District Returning Officers (DROs), Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) within one week.
The commission has also decided to immediately issue the schedule for local government elections in cantonment areas and ordered that the election programme be submitted for approval without delay.
The ECP said it had written several letters to the Ministry of Defence and had also sent a letter to the prime minister regarding the cantonment elections, but had received no response.