The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the Punjab government to finalise delimitation and demarcation rules within four weeks, as preparations move forward for the local government (LG) elections scheduled for December.
This deadline was given in a key session chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Tuesday, which was attended by ECP members, the top electoral body’s secretary, special secretary law, and other senior officers.
A notification stated that the ECP decided to conduct LG elections in Punjab under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2025, following its approval by the provincial assembly and formal assent by the governor.
According to an ECP statement, the commission also decided to withdraw the earlier schedule of delimitation issued under the previous law.
The Punjab government has been granted four weeks to finalise delimitation and demarcation rules, with the ECP making it clear that no extension will be allowed beyond this period.
If the provincial authorities fail to complete the process within the given timeframe, the matter related to the Punjab LG polls will be taken up for regular hearing, the ECP warned.
The ECP’s special secretary noted that under the new law, delimitations based on the previous act would violate Section 219 of the Election Act, 2017.
Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said he had faced considerable pressure regarding its approval but signed it after careful consideration, expressing confidence that the new law would improve local governance.
Speaking to the media in Shorkot, he expressed hope that the Punjab government would soon announce the schedule for local government elections, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would participate actively.
He further stated that there would be no objection if any elected local representative chose not to join a political party.
Earlier this month, the top electoral body announced to organise Punjab LG polls in the last week of December besides ruling that the delimitation process in the country’s most populated province will begin under the 2022 law.
