THE Punjab government’s move to bulldoze the controversial Punjab Local Government Bill, 2025, through the provincial assembly raises serious concerns about its commitment to devolution and democratic governance at the grassroots. The haste with which the new law was passed suggests an intent to retain provincial control over local governments rather than empower them as required under the Constitution. The ruling PML-N pushed the new law just days after the ECP announced plans to hold local elections in December under the 2022 law, rejecting the Punjab government’s excuses for delaying new legislation. In doing so, the ruling party summarily dismissed objections to several provisions of the bill, not only from the opposition but also from its own members who had urged amendments in the draft to ensure meaningful devolution and effective local governance.

At the heart of the controversy are provisions that contradict the Constitution’s Article 140-A, which mandates provinces to devolve political, administrative and financial powers to local governments. The new law, however, effectively renders elected bodies without any decision-making and policymaking authority for the foreseeable future as key powers would remain concentrated in the hands of the provincial government and be exercised through the bureaucracy, undermining the autonomy of local representatives. Equally controversial is the provision allowing the government to conduct the first phase of elections on a non-party basis, effectively preventing opposition parties from participating and gaining control of the third tier of government. The elimination of the district tier, a crucial link between provincial and grassroots governance, further undermines the system. Additionally, the new voting mechanism limits citizens to casting a single vote rather than multiple votes for different seats, effectively narrowing their right to representation. Overall, the law in its current form appears less about empowering citizens and more about enabling the provincial government to retain control at the local level, even after establishing local bodies. The province has remained without elected local governments — except for a brief period when the courts overturned their dissolution — since 2019. Establishing new local bodies under the present law will only prolong this gap. True devolution demands stable, empowered local governments, not administrative experiments that undermine elected representatives and democracy. The Punjab government should review the law to restore the true spirit of local governance.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2025