ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan has asked for local government election in Islamabad to be held immediately.
According to the details, In a major development concerning grassroot democracy, the ECP orders Islamabad local government elections under 2015 act following a hearing regarding delays in the federal capital’s municipal polls.
A five-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, issued the short verdict directing authorities to conduct the long-delayed local government elections under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015.
During the proceedings, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja instructed officials to immediately issue the official election schedule.
As the ECP orders Islamabad local government elections under 2015 act, the commission emphasized that municipal governance must be restored in the federal capital without further operational or legal postponements.
The decision resolves prolonged uncertainty surrounding local government polls in Islamabad, paving the way for public representation in local civic affairs.
ECP officials were tasked with releasing the complete election timeline without delay, ensuring that as the ECP orders Islamabad local government elections under 2015 act, administrative preparations begin across all union councils immediately.
Note on Local Government Elections in Pakistan: A Throwback on the Past
Local government institutions in Pakistan have experienced a complex and turbulent history, often caught between centralizing political trends and constitutional mandates.
Historically, localized grassroots systems were paradoxically introduced and empowered under military regimes—most notably during the eras of Field Marshal Ayub Khan (Basic Democracies), General Zia-ul-Haq, and General Pervez Musharraf (Devolution Plan 2001).
These administrations prioritized devolution to construct direct political legitimacy at the municipal level, bypassing traditional political parties.
With the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010, Article 140A was embedded into the Constitution, explicitly requiring every province and federal territory to establish a local government system and devolve political, administrative, and financial authority to elected representatives.
Despite this constitutional requirement, civilian political governments have historically shown reluctance to empower municipal bodies, frequently delaying elections, altering local government legislation, or leaving elected councils without adequate funding and administrative authority.
In Islamabad, the first-ever local government elections were held in November 2015 under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015, resulting in the establishment of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI).
However, following the completion of the inaugural term in 2021, subsequent elections faced repeated delays due to frequent legislative amendments, delimitation issues, and administrative disagreements between the federal government and the Election Commission.
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The continuous struggle highlights the ongoing challenge of establishing an uninterrupted, autonomous local governance framework across Pakistan.
