The Islamabad Local Government Elections have been put on hold after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the election schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The court issued a stay order against the commission’s October 21 notification while hearing a petition challenging the electoral process in the federal capital.
IHC Justice Umair Majeed Malik announced the reserved verdict on a petition filed by Amjad Ali, who had requested the court to halt the upcoming local government polls and suspend the election schedule.
Along with suspending the schedule, the court issued a notice to the Election Commission and directed it to submit its response by November 26. The decision has created uncertainty over the timing of the long-awaited local government elections in Islamabad.
Why Did the IHC Suspend the Election Schedule?
The petitioner’s main objection concerns changes to local government legislation and the delimitation process.
According to the petition, new delimitation was carried out in 2024, after which the Election Commission announced the election schedule. However, the federal government introduced a new Local Government Ordinance in 2026, creating questions about the legal framework under which the elections would be conducted.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the ordinance subsequently ceased to operate, but the Election Commission issued the election schedule without restoring the previous delimitation arrangements.
The petitioner maintained that the electoral process could not proceed without addressing the legal and administrative issues surrounding the boundaries of local government constituencies.
The IHC’s decision to suspend the schedule means the Election Commission will have to respond to the concerns raised in the petition before the matter can proceed further.
The Islamabad Local Government Elections case will now be considered in light of the ECP’s response and the legal arguments presented before the court.
ECP Asked to Submit Response by November 26
In its order, the Islamabad High Court formally issued a notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan and sought its response by November 26.
The notice gives the commission an opportunity to explain the legal basis of its October 21 notification and address the petitioner’s objections regarding delimitation and the 2026 ordinance.
The court’s intervention comes at a sensitive time because preparations for the federal capital’s local government elections were already underway.
The suspension of the schedule does not, by itself, determine the final outcome of the case. Further proceedings will be necessary to establish whether the election process can continue under the existing arrangements or requires changes.
For now, the ECP’s notification remains suspended under the court’s stay order.
Islamabad Has Been Without an Elected Local Government Since 2021
The latest legal development comes after a prolonged delay in holding local government elections in Islamabad.
The term of the last elected local government system in the Islamabad Capital Territory expired in February 2021. However, fresh elections have not been held due to various legal and administrative complications.
Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017, requires the Election Commission to conduct new local government elections within 120 days after the expiration of the previous local government’s term.
The extended delay has raised questions about the implementation of the statutory requirement and the reasons behind the repeated obstacles to holding elections.
Local governments play an important role in addressing community-level issues, managing municipal services and representing residents in local administrative matters. The absence of an elected system has therefore kept attention on the need to restore local democratic representation in the federal capital.
The Islamabad Local Government Elections are particularly significant because residents have been waiting several years for a new elected local government structure.
Chief Election Commissioner Accuses Government of Obstructing Polls
The court’s decision also follows strong remarks by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, who had accused the federal government of attempting to sabotage the upcoming local government elections.
A day before the IHC ruling, the chief election commissioner headed a three-member bench hearing a case concerning an alleged violation of the code of conduct during the recent NA-77 by-election in Gujranwala.
During the proceedings, he raised concerns over a federal government order directing that teachers should not be assigned duties for the Islamabad local government elections.
Questioning how the Election Commission would arrange the required polling staff, Raja criticised what he viewed as interference in the commission’s responsibilities.
He stated that the Election Commission issued directions to the prime minister and the government rather than receiving instructions from them.
The chief election commissioner also made it clear that the commission intended to hold the Islamabad polls, despite the reported administrative obstacles.
His comments highlighted growing tensions between the Election Commission and the federal government over arrangements for the electoral exercise.
What Happens Next for Islamabad’s Local Elections?
The future of the Islamabad Local Government Elections will depend on the legal proceedings before the Islamabad High Court and the response submitted by the Election Commission.
The ECP will need to address the concerns surrounding the 2024 delimitation, the 2026 Local Government Ordinance and the legal status of the October 21 notification.
The stay order has temporarily halted the announced schedule, but the final decision on the petition remains pending.
With Islamabad already facing a delay of several years in local government representation, the case carries considerable importance for the federal capital’s electoral and administrative system.
The November 26 proceedings are expected to provide further clarity on the legal challenges and the next steps towards holding local government elections.
