ECP Orders KP Local Polls, Excludes 12 Districts

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered KP local polls to be held immediately in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts where delimitation has been completed, excluding areas covered by special emergency measures. The decision ends, for now, a dispute over whether the polls could proceed while the province remains under governor’s rule.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja announced the decision on Wednesday after reserving its verdict a day earlier. The bench also included Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and Justice (retired) Ikramullah Khan.

What the commission ordered

The commission directed its relevant wing to submit the election programme for approval in districts where the delimitation process has been completed. It also ordered the issuance of delimitation schedules for districts where the process remains incomplete.

Delimitation is the process of drawing the boundaries of electoral areas. Without it, seats cannot be allocated and polls cannot be held. The commission was told during the hearing that delimitation had been completed in 23 districts, where elections could proceed through an official order.

The provincial government had sought a delay in the elections, citing the law and order situation, the imposition of emergency and the deployment of troops under Article 245 of the Constitution. The federal government imposed emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11 and placed the province under governor’s rule, pointing to what it called the provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism.

The commission did not accept a blanket delay. Instead, it drew a line between districts where polls can proceed and those where special arrangements apply.

The 12 excluded districts

Under its order, the ECP excluded five districts from the election programme: Bannu, Mohmand, Orakzai, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan. These are the districts specified in the federal government’s October 11 order.

It also excluded seven districts from the delimitation schedule: Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Lower South Waziristan and Upper South Waziristan.

Together, these 12 districts fall under the special administrative framework involving the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC), which was formed to oversee them under the emergency measures. The commission said polls and delimitation would not be scheduled there for now.

Councils and seats to be settled

The ECP also directed its office to adjust the number of village and neighbourhood councils and determine category-wise reserved seats for each tehsil council in Karak, Hangu, Swat, Bar Swat, Battagram, Paharpur and Allai, in accordance with existing revenue boundaries.

That step matters because local elections are not just about polling day. The number of councils and the reservation of seats for women, workers, youth and minorities shape who gets to stand and who gets represented. Settling those details now allows the election programme to move without further delay once approved.

Why KP local polls have been delayed

Local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced repeated delays linked to delimitation, legal requirements and administrative preparations. The elected local governments completed their terms earlier this year, leaving a gap in local representation that the commission is now trying to close in stages.

The staggered approach is intended to prevent further delay in areas where constituency boundaries have already been finalised. Districts that are ready will move ahead, while the remaining districts will be taken up once their delimitation is complete.

What happens next

Related coverage from Feature Pakistan

• Governor’s rule in the province is due to end after six months, as reported from the National Assembly.
• Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called for a new Charter of Democracy amid the KP standoff.
• He had earlier rejected the imposition of governor’s rule in the province.

Frequently asked questions

Which KP districts are excluded from the local polls?

Why were the polls delayed?

When will the election schedule be announced?

• The Express Tribune, “ECP excludes 12 K-P districts from local government polls” (29 October 2026): https://tribune.com.pk/story/2637488/ecp-excludes-12-k-p-districts-from-local-government-polls
• Dawn, “ECP orders immediate local body polls in KP districts demarcated, sans those under ARDC” (28 October 2026): https://www.dawn.com/news/2040445/ecp-orders-immediate-local-body-polls-in-kp-districts-demarcated-sans-those-under-ardc
• Geo News, “ECP orders KP LG polls in delimited districts, excludes 12 under ARDC” (28 October 2026): https://www.geo.tv/latest/688703-ecp-orders-kp-lg-polls-in-delimited-districts-excludes-12-under-ardc