After years of administrative delays, residents of the federal capital move closer to choosing their grassroots representatives as the election oversight body steps in. According to Geo News, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered that local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) be held in accordance with the ICT LG Act, 2015.
A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, issued the directive during a hearing concerning the prolonged delay in holding local government elections, Geo News reported. The bench instructed commission officials to prepare and issue a fresh election schedule. Geo News noted that these proceedings followed notices issued to the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the chief commissioner of the Islamabad Capital Territory.
Background
According to Geo News, the term of the last elected local government system in the Islamabad Capital Territory expired in February 2021, but fresh polls could not be held previously due to diverse legal and administrative reasons. The ECP had earlier submitted its feedback regarding Islamabad Local Government Rules to the Ministry of Interior on July 20, 2026, aiming to ensure rules were formulated in line with commission recommendations. Geo News also pointed out that under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017, the commission is legally required to hold new local government elections within 120 days of a term's expiration.
Why it matters
For citizens living in the federal capital, local government elections provide a vital mechanism for addressing municipal issues through elected representatives. The ECP's latest directive sets a concrete procedural direction following years of constitutional backlog and legislative delays regarding local administration rules.
What's next
According to Geo News, the ECP directed its officials to issue the fresh Islamabad local polls schedule.