ECP Orders Immediate Local Govt Elections in 23 KP Districts
News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered the immediate commencement of local government elections in 23 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where the delimitation of constituencies has been completed, ending uncertainty over the prolonged delay in the electoral process.
The decision was announced by a five-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, which directed the provincial government and relevant election authorities to prepare the election schedule without further delay.
However, the commission excluded 12 tribal districts from the immediate electoral process in view of the prevailing emergency situation and security concerns.
Under the ruling, election preparations must move forward in all 23 districts where constituency delimitation has been finalized. The ECP also directed officials to expedite delimitation in the remaining areas and issue a fresh schedule for completing the process.
The commission instructed the provincial government and administrative authorities to make the necessary security and logistical arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections.
During the proceedings, ECP officials informed the bench that preliminary preparations for the polls had been completed in most districts of the province.
The elections have been delayed following the completion of the terms of elected local government bodies earlier this year. The four-year tenure of representatives elected in the first phase ended in March 2026, while the terms of those elected in the second phase expired in June 2026.
According to the commission, amendments to local government legislation introduced by the provincial government, coupled with administrative hurdles, disrupted the delimitation process and contributed to the delay in holding elections.
The situation has been further complicated by the reported imposition of a state of emergency under Article 232 of the Constitution and Governor’s Rule under Article 234.
Citing deteriorating law and order, the deployment of security forces in certain areas and the emergency situation, the provincial administration had asked the ECP to defer elections in 12 districts.
During a previous hearing, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja observed that elections should not be held up in districts where all legal and administrative requirements had been fulfilled, including the completion of constituency delimitation.
The commission had reserved its verdict after hearing the arguments. With the announcement of the decision, authorities have been directed to proceed with election arrangements in the districts where the necessary groundwork has been completed.
