IHC Suspends Islamabad Local Government Elections
The Islamabad High Court has suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s schedule for the Islamabad local government elections, putting the 20 December polls on hold until the next hearing.
A single-member bench of Justice Umair Majeed Malik granted interim relief on Friday, 13 November, while hearing a writ petition that challenged the legality of the election programme. The court suspended the Election Commission’s order and election schedule, both dated 21 October, and directed the respondents to file their replies before the next hearing on 26 November.
The petition was filed last week by Chaudhry Amjad Ali, who argued that the polls could not go ahead until the legal status of the existing delimitation was settled. His counsel, Barrister Qazi Adil Aziz, appeared with Malik Talha and Muhammad Yaseen Iqbal.
Why the court halted the Islamabad local government elections
The dispute turns on two competing laws. The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015 provided for one Metropolitan Corporation and 125 union councils, each divided into nine wards. Delimitation under that law began in December 2024, and an election programme was issued on 26 December 2025 before it was withdrawn.
The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Ordinance 2026 then changed the structure. It created three town corporations, removed the nine-ward system and based delimitation on census blocks. The number of union councils rose from 125 to 130.
The Election Commission issued revised delimitation timelines on 25 August 2026 and published the final list of 130 union councils on 14 October. But after a single 120-day extension, the ordinance ceased to have effect under Article 89 of the Constitution, and the 2015 Act revived.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the commission then issued its order and election schedule under the revived Act without fresh delimitation of the 125 union councils, nine wards or the Metropolitan Corporation. Delimitation carried out under the lapsed ordinance, they said, could not serve as the basis for polls under the revived law.
They asked the court to order fresh delimitation and new electoral rolls under the LG Act 2015 and the Elections Act 2017 before any election. Holding polls without that work, they argued, would breach Article 218(3) of the Constitution and waste public funds.
A capital without elected local government
The court observed that the points raised required consideration. It issued notices to the respondents, directing them to submit reports and para-wise comments before the hearing.
The ruling came a day after Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja accused the federal government of trying to sabotage the Islamabad local government elections. The commissioner had insisted the polls would go ahead as scheduled.
Islamabad has had no elected local government since the term of the last setup expired in February 2021. Since then the Election Commission has issued the election schedule four times, only to cancel it, while delimitation has been carried out six times.
Under the Elections Act 2017, fresh local government elections must be held within 120 days of a term expiring. More than five years have passed since the Islamabad term ended.
The commission had planned polling for 20 December in 50 constituencies, with the mayor and deputy mayors to be elected after, and four days reserved for consolidating results.
What happens next
The next hearing on 26 November will test whether the commission can defend a schedule built on delimitation done under a lapsed law. If the court accepts the petitioner’s case, the commission will have to delimit 125 union councils and nine wards afresh under the 2015 Act and prepare new electoral rolls before it can set a new polling date.
For now, the capital’s voters wait for 26 November.
The Capital Development Authority, which runs the city in the absence of elected local government, has faced its own legal questions this year, including a court order on land compensation. Islamabad’s administration has also been digitising its services, including QR code payments for fines. The city has also rolled out electric buses for women commuters.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the IHC suspend the Islamabad local government elections?
The court suspended the Election Commission’s 21 October order and schedule because the petition argued the polls could not be held until the delimitation’s legal status was settled.
When is the next hearing?
The next hearing is scheduled for 26 November 2026. The Election Commission and other respondents must submit their replies before that date.
When were the Islamabad local government polls due?
Polling was set for 20 December 2026, with results consolidated between 21 and 24 December.
How long has Islamabad been without elected local government?
The last term expired in February 2021. Delimitation has been carried out six times and the schedule issued four times since then.
