The first phase of local government elections in Punjab will be held on February 7, 2027, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday. A four-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, presided over the hearing concerning the local government elections in the province.
In a short order, the commission stated that the request submitted by the Punjab chief secretary had been accepted. During the hearing, the chief secretary briefed the ECP that the provincial government had initially agreed to hold local government elections between December 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.
However, following consultations, the Punjab cabinet committee recommended holding the elections in April 2027 due to smog, dense fog, adverse weather, the holy month of Ramadan, and the unavailability of schoolteachers. Citing these reasons, the provincial government had requested the ECP to hold the elections in April 2027.
According to the ECP, the provincial government later requested that the elections be held in January or February 2027, noting that weather conditions typically improve in February. "Taking the Punjab government's request into consideration, the ECP decided that the first phase of local government elections in Punjab would be held on February 7, 2027," the ECP stated.
The commission emphasized its responsibility to ensure equal opportunities for all candidates and voters across provinces, cantonment areas, and Islamabad. Separately, the ECP decided to halt the local government election process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) districts following a review of a federal government order.
Last week, the ECP had directed its office to prepare the election programme for KP districts where delimitation was completed, excluding 12 districts under special administrative arrangements. The poll body had previously ruled that elections would not be scheduled in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Mohmand, Orakzai, and North Waziristan under the federal government's order dated October 11.
During today's meeting, the commission examined an order issued by the federal government on November 4. According to the ECP, the meeting reviewed clause 2 of the federal government's order, which suspends Article 140A of the Constitution.
The ECP observed that the scope of this order has been extended to districts beyond those specified in previous orders. It further noted that under Article 140A(2), conducting local government elections is the responsibility of the Election Commission.
The ECP concluded that holding elections in the remaining districts was no longer possible due to the order and announced that all measures taken for the conduct of these elections have been suspended until further notice. The commission remains committed to upholding the constitutional mandate regarding local governance, despite the current administrative hurdles faced in the KP region.