LAHORE: The Lahore High Court, Multan Bench, on Wednesday restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing the final gazette notification for the delimitation of two Vehari union councils (UCs).

Justice Jawad Hassan passed the interim order on a petition filed by Muhammad Nadeem, a voter in UC No 3, Vehari, challenging modifications made to the preliminary delimitation list.

The petitioner’s counsel, Sohail Iqbal Bhatti, argued that the Vehari Delimitation Committee had published the preliminary list of UCs No 3 and 4 on May 25, 2026 under the Punjab Local Government (Delimitation of Union Councils) Rules, 2026, which allow a 15-day window for voters to file objections.

He said thought the period expired on June 9, 2026, a resident alien to the UCs concerned filed objections on June 17, 2026 — over a week late — seeking to have two census blocks moved into UC No 3 and another moved into UC No 4. He said the regional election commissioner modified the preliminary delimitation on the basis of these objections.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that the respondent lacked the legal standing to object in the first place, since only a voter of the UC concerned could challenge its delimitation under Rule 9 of the 2026 Rules.

He further argued that the impugned order was “non-speaking” and failed to disclose proper reasons for the modification, in violation of Section 9(2)(a) of the Punjab Local Government Act, 2025, which requires that a UC’s area constitute a single territorial unit.

A law officer raised objections to the maintainability of the petition on behalf of the ECP.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Jawad Hassan issued notices to the respondents for Aug 25, directing them to file their replies and para wise comments.

In the interim order, the judge restrained the ECP from issuing gazette notification of the final delimitation list for UCs No 3 and No 4 till the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2026