ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected the Punjab government’s proposal for pushing local government polls to April next year.

Earlier this month, the electoral body proposed holding local government elections in Punjab on December 14 and sent a draft of the suggested schedule to the Punjab chief secretary for consultation.

However, the Punjab government on Wednesday proposed holding the elections in phases on April 4, 11 and 18, citing smog, dense fog and adverse winter weather conditions expected during December and January.

On Thursday, the ECP rejected the government’s request. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The commission was briefed that in response to ECP’s letter on Oct 2 and draft election programme, the Punjab government replied on Oct 14 that due to dense fog and severe cold weather in December and the commencement of Ramazan in February, it wanted to hold local government elections in three phases in April 2027, a handout by the commission said.

According to the statement, the ECP termed the Punjab government’s reply “unsatisfactory” and said a consultative process with the provincial government had been completed on Aug 20, in which the provincial government had agreed to hold local government elections in Punjab between Dec 15 and Jan 15, 2027.

“Now, the provincial government wants to change the proposed time frame,” the commission said.

The statement said that keeping in view its constitutional and legal responsibilities, the ECP had decided to hold local government elections in Punjab and issue the election schedule immediately. It directed its office to immediately present the draft election programme for Punjab for the commission’s approval.

The ECP said it had asked the provincial government to provide list of officers to appoint as district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers. Expressing disappointment over non-provision of lists so far, it directed the provincial government to provide the lists within a week.

Punjab seeks delay

The Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department had written to the ECP on Wednesday seeking to delay the local government polls.

The letter, which conveyed the ministerial committee’s decision, cited smog, dense fog and adverse winter weather conditions expected during December and January, followed by the commencement of Ramazan in February, as reasons for not holding the elections as scheduled.

The letter said the cabinet’s ministerial committee had held its second meeting on October 5, during which it deliberated at length on the ECP’s draft election schedule.

The committee discussed scenarios arising from the likely tough weather conditions and Ramazan, the letter stated.

It proposed holding the local government elections in phases to facilitate the effective deployment of election staff and security personnel, the efficient transportation of polling materials, better administrative oversight and improved accessibility for voters.

The phased approach would also help avoid adverse weather conditions typically experienced during December and January and the period immediately following Ramazan, the letter said.

The letter added that the Punjab cabinet considered the committee’s recommendations early on Wednesday and approved a proposal to hold the elections in three phases on April 4, 11 and 18, 2027, all of which fall on Sundays.

The cabinet also decided that the allocation of districts among the three phases may be deliberated and thereafter mutually agreed with the ECP in a dedicated meeting, keeping in view administrative, logistical, security and geographical considerations as well as weather conditions, the letter said.

LG polls

The last local government elections in Punjab were held in 2015 under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2013. Polling took place in phases between October and December 2015, and elected councils assumed office in 2017 after indirect elections for mayors and chairpersons. Since then, local body polls in Punjab have experienced repeated delays.

The PTI government had dissolved the elected local bodies in April 2019 before they completed their tenure. The move was later struck down by the Supreme Court, which restored them. They eventually completed their term on Dec 31, 2021.

Successive provincial governments repeatedly amended or replaced the Punjab Local Government Act. Each legislative change required the ECP to restart preparations, including delimitation and election planning. Changing laws and administrative delays by successive governments contributed significantly to the postponement of the local body elections.

Under Article 140A of the Constitution and the Elections Act, local government elections should be held within 120 days of the expiry of local bodies’ terms. Since the councils’ term ended in Dec 2021, elections were due by April 2022, but they have been repeatedly postponed.

On October 5, the ECP, in a meeting, upheld that it was prepared to hold local government polls across the province.

On August 6, the Punjab cabinet had approved an allocation of Rs12.5 billion for holding local government elections in the province.