LAHORE: While the Punjab Local Government (Election) Rules 2026, fall short of explaining how the grassroots level election will be held on party basis, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) too has ‘failed’ to explain the anomaly – on a clarification sought by a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA.

PTI MPA Imtiaz Mahmood Sheikh had written a letter to the ECP secretary seeking clarification regarding the practical mechanism for conducting party-based elections at the union council level, particularly in view of the fact that nine councillors are to be elected from each UC constituency. The rules say the voters will be allowed to cast one secret vote for their preferred candidate. The top nine vote-getters will be declared elected.

Instead of clarifying the ambiguity, the ECP responded to the MPA as: “You are advised to consult the relevant provisions of the Punjab Local Government Act 2025 and Punjab Local Government (Election) Rules 2026 notified by the Punjab government, for necessary clarification”.

Mr Sheikh has also approached the Lahore High Court that the prospective local government elections should be held on party basis and certain legal and constitutional questions relating to the LG elections be clarified.

PTI lawmaker moves LHC over ‘unclear’ poll framework, seeks clarity on candidate distinction and ballot format

While the Punjab government had categorically stated that the local government elections would be conducted on a party basis, substantial ambiguity continues to persist regarding the practical mechanism for conducting party-based elections at the union council level, particularly in view of the fact that nine councillors are to be elected from each union council constituency.

In a party-based electoral system, the MPA in his letter asked that a serious procedural and electoral clarity issue had arisen that how multiple candidates (up to nine) belonging to the same political party within a single UC were expected to contest under one party symbol, while ensuring transparency, voter clarity, and electoral fairness.

While invoking the access to information under Article 19-A of the Constitution, the MPA sought clarification on four issues.

Candidates’ distinguishability

MPA Imtiaz Mahmood Sheikh asked what specific mechanism or electoral procedure had been devised to ensure that multiple candidates (up to nine) belonging to the same political party within a single union council remain clearly distinguishable to voters, while using the same party symbol on the ballot?

Structure and format of ballot paper

How ballot papers be designed and formatted to accommodate multiple candidates from the same political party within one UC, without causing voter confusion or compromising the secrecy and integrity of the ballot, he asked.

Regulatory and legal framework

Mr Imtiaz Sheikh asked whether any rules, regulations, guidelines, notifications, or draft frameworks had been prepared by the Election Commission of Pakistan governing party-based multi-candidate elections at the union council level?

“If so, kindly provide certified copies of such rules or guidelines. If not, kindly indicate the timeline within which such regulatory framework will be issued,” he asked.

Electoral precedent

Mr Sheikh asked the ECP to identify any previous elections, either within Pakistan or under comparable electoral systems, where multiple candidates of the same political party contested simultaneously within a single constituency under a single party symbol, along with relevant legal or administrative precedents.

Mr Sheikh asserted that these four clarifications were crucial for placing a complete and accurate factual and legal record before the Lahore High Court in the pending constitutional proceedings. “Failure to clarify these matters at this stage may seriously prejudice the adjudication of the petition and undermine the principles of electoral transparency, fairness, and public accountability,” he asserted.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2026