ECP Announces Local Government Elections in Punjab This December
October 8, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that local government (LG) elections in Punjab will be held in the last week of December 2025, ending months of uncertainty over the long-delayed polls in the country’s most populous province.
According to the verdict issued on Wednesday, the ECP bench — headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja — directed that the delimitation process begin immediately from Thursday, with completion expected within two months.
The bench also confirmed that the elections would be conducted under the Punjab Local Government Act 2022, ensuring continuity in the legal framework previously established for the province.
Other members of the ECP bench included Nisar Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, and Babar Hassan Bharwana.
ECP Criticizes Delay in Local Body Elections
During the hearing, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja expressed strong displeasure over the prolonged delay in holding local government elections in Punjab, calling it a matter of “embarrassment” for both the Election Commission and successive provincial administrations.
“The local government elections have not been held in the country’s biggest province. It is not only an embarrassment for the Election Commission but also for the governments that ruled during the delay,” remarked CEC Raja.
He further added that none of the previous governments seemed genuinely interested in conducting local body elections, despite repeated reminders from the ECP.
“All the governments that came into power did not want these elections to be held,” he said.
ECP to Exercise Constitutional Authority
Taking a firm stance, the Chief Election Commissioner declared that the time had come for the ECP to exercise its constitutional authority and move forward decisively.
CEC Raja also addressed recent remarks made by a Punjab government minister who claimed that Punjab and Islamabad were ready for elections, but the ECP was responsible for delays.
“They [Punjab ministers] themselves are delaying the process and blaming the ECP,” the CEC clarified, rejecting the allegation.
Background
Local government elections in Punjab have faced multiple postponements over legal, administrative, and political hurdles since the end of the previous local setup. The fresh announcement by the ECP now sets the stage for the long-awaited grassroots-level democratic process to resume in December.
The elections are expected to pave the way for greater local representation, allowing citizens across Punjab to directly elect their municipal and district representatives after years of governance gaps.
