ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formally proposed an amendment to the Elections Act, 2017, seeking to remove long-standing ambiguities that have delayed polls at the grassroots level
The ECP has recommended revising Section 219(1) of the Act to explicitly link local government elections with the expiry or dissolution of local bodies. The proposal, submitted earlier this week, indicates growing concerns within the commission over repeated delays caused by legal and administrative changes at the provincial level.
The commission is mandated to conduct local government elections under applicable provincial laws.
However, the ECP argues that the absence of a clear time-bound trigger has allowed successive governments to amend or repeal local government laws even after elected bodies complete their tenure effectively postponing elections indefinitely.
The commission has suggested that elections must be conducted “at the time of the expiry of term or dissolution of the local governments,” a change it believes would strengthen constitutional compliance and institutional certainty.
The ECP has grounded its proposal in Article 140-A of the Constitution, which obligates provinces to establish and empower local governments through elected representatives. The commission noted that despite this constitutional mandate, practical hurdles continue to obstruct timely elections.
The letter, signed by Additional Director General (Local Government Elections) Chaudhry Nadeem Qasim, also mentioned that amendments to local government laws sometimes made after terms expire create serious obstacles for election planning and execution.
As lawmakers review the proposal, attention is now focused on how this seemingly technical change could alter the balance between constitutional duty and political discretion. What happens next may define the future of local democracy in Pakistan.
