ECP cites Centre’s non-assistance in Islamabad LG poll delay, summons top officials

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday said delays in holding local government elections in Islamabad had occurred for several reasons, including what it described as the federal government’s non-assistance, and summoned the Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner to appear on July 7.

The term of the previous local government in the Islamabad Capital Territory expired in February 2021, but elections have yet to be held. A four-member ECP bench headed by Sindh member Nisar Ahmed Durrani resumed proceedings in the case on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon told the commission that the district administration had provided the maps required for the polls in the federal capital. In its written order, however, the ECP said it remained concerned over the non-availability of key material needed to ensure timely elections.

The commission said it was of the considered view that the election process in the Islamabad Capital Territory had been delayed on multiple counts, including the federal government’s failure to provide assistance required under the Constitution and the law. It also recorded serious concern over not being supplied the necessary data for the timely conduct of the local government elections.

Pending approvals and required documents

According to the ECP order, the deputy commissioner informed the bench that the matter was pending with the Prime Minister’s Office, where a draft notification on the number of union councils had been sent for cabinet approval. The commission subsequently advised its secretary to approach the prime minister’s adviser to help secure approval of the notifications relating to the limits of town corporations and the number of union councils in each town corporation.

The ECP said that, under its March 10 order, a committee had been formed to resolve issues linked to the conduct of local government elections in Islamabad. It said the committee had finalised draft notifications on the limits of town corporations and the number of union councils in each town. While draft maps had been prepared and the commission had been told the matter was now before the Prime Minister’s Office, several documents were still awaited despite considerable time having passed.

These included a notification specifying the limits of town corporations along with detailed descriptions of the areas, census charges, circles and blocks falling within each town corporation, as well as authenticated maps in both soft and hard form. The commission also said it was still awaiting a notification setting out the number of union councils in each town corporation, along with legislation proposed by the ECP in the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 and amended Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2015 in line with that ordinance.

Officials summoned for next hearing

The order said that because the required notifications, maps and amendments had not been furnished despite repeated correspondence, the matter was fixed for hearing with notices issued to the ICT chief commissioner and deputy commissioner for personal appearance on July 1. It added that the chief commissioner sought exemption from appearance due to a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the request was granted.

The deputy commissioner appeared before the commission and submitted the proposed maps, while the ECP’s special secretary confirmed receipt of three maps for Town Corporation I, Town Corporation II and Town Corporation III. The commission said Memon sought more time to obtain confirmation through the Ministry of Interior regarding approval of the notifications by the prime minister.

The ECP directed ICT Chief Commissioner retired Lt Sohail Ashraf and Deputy Commissioner Memon to appear in person at the next hearing at 10am on July 7. Stressing that the Islamabad local government election had already been sufficiently delayed, the commission said it was its constitutional duty under Article 140-A(2), read with Article 219(d) of the Constitution and Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017, to hold local government elections in Islamabad and all four provinces within 120 days of the expiry of a local government’s term.

In March, the ECP had also summoned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi over the delay in local government elections in the federal capital.