ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan has objected to the recently-passed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2026, saying the key changes to the law contradict the provincial assembly’s constitutional mandate and could delay local body elections in the province.

In a letter written to the KP chief secretary on Thursday, the ECP referred to the bill passed by the KP Assembly on July 6 and assented to by the provincial governor on July 16.

The letter was issued with the signatures of ECP Additional Director General (LGE) Ch Nadeem Qasim.

The main amendment pertains to Section 6(5)(e) of the KP Local Government Act, 2013.

Under the new clause, the population of a village and neighbourhood council within a district “shall range between 30,000 and 40,000, within 10 per cent permissible variation, calculated on the basis of the Digital Census, 2023.”

The amendment also allows the ECP to waive the condition “in specific cases, for reasons to be recorded, after due consultation with government.”

The ECP said that amendment was in contradiction with the powers delegated to it under Article 222(b) of the Constitution read with Sections 221(1) and 221(9) of the Elections Act, 2017, which empowered it to delimit constituencies for LG elections.

It added that the proviso requiring “consultation with government” for any waiver is also against the spirit of Article 222, which said that no law would have the effect of taking away or abridging any powers of the ECP.

The ECP noted that implementing the 30,000-40,000 population threshold would not be practicable in light of the existing number of VCs/NCs listed in the Ninth Schedule of the 2013 Act, calling it an “ambiguity.”

“In addition to above facts, this amendment in K.P LG Act, 2013, at this belated stage seems to be delaying tactics for holding LG Elections,” the letter read.

The ECP sought the KP government’s assistance to review those amendments to ensure smooth LG elections in the province.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2026