Sheraz Ahmad Sherazi
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered local government elections in Islamabad to be held under the existing 2015 law and directed officials to issue the election schedule without further delay. The commission has subsequently announced that polling will take place on December 20, 2026.
The decision was announced after a five-member commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard a case concerning the long-delayed local government elections in the federal capital.
During the hearing, Special Secretary ECP Zafar Iqbal Malik informed the commission that delimitation had been carried out six times in Islamabad, while election schedules had been issued on four occasions. The most recent schedule was announced on October 9, 2026, under which polling had been planned for February.
He told the commission that the presidential ordinance issued by the government had expired on September 6, while the final delimitation of constituencies was published on October 14. Despite two reminder letters to the Ministry of Interior, the relevant Islamabad local government rules had not been provided. The Ministry of Law had also declined to approve the rules, he added.
The ECP was informed that the federal government had yet to introduce a new local government law, leaving the 2015 legislation in force. The commission was therefore urged to proceed with the elections under the existing law.
Interior Secretary, who appeared before the commission, acknowledged the facts presented during the hearing but maintained that proceeding under the 2015 law would require the cancellation of the steps already taken in the electoral process. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja observed that holding elections under the 2015 law would not affect the existing delimitation of constituencies.
He expressed concern over repeated assurances from the interior minister, interior secretary, chief commissioner and a ministerial committee, remarking that the government’s actions gave the impression that it did not want local government elections to take place in Islamabad.
The chief election commissioner stressed that the Constitution required local government elections to be held in accordance with the law, adding that the commission had been compelled to issue the order.
Following the hearing, the ECP directed that the elections be conducted under the 2015 law and instructed officials to issue the schedule the same day.
Under the schedule subsequently issued by the ECP, polling in Islamabad will be held on December 20, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. without interruption.
The key dates are as follows: November 2-6: Submission of nomination papers. November 9-13,: Scrutiny of nomination papers. November 14-18: Filing of appeals against decisions of returning officers.