ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s amendment to the Local Government Act, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday termed the amendments contrary to the law.
In a letter to the KP Chief Secretary, the Chief Election Commissioner said that under the new amendment, the population of the village council will be 30,000 to 40,000 and this is inconsistent with the Constitution. Under the Constitution, the powers of the Election Commission cannot be curtailed as delimitation of constituencies falls entirely within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.
Chief Election Commissioner maintained that delimitation of village councils has become impossible due to the new limitations. Chief Election Commissioner said the amendment will delay elections as the current number of councils has created legal ambiguity.
The first term of local governments in KP concluded in March 2026, while the second term ended in June 2026, said Election Commission sources, adding that, according to the statutory schedule, the first phase of local government elections was due to be held in July 2026, and the second phase in October 2026.
The ECP is continuing the process of delimitation for holding the local government elections. However, the KP government has once again amended the Local Government Act, and these new legal amendments has created difficulties in preparing and timely conducting local government elections in the province.
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