ISLAMABAD: The nominations for the local government elections in the federal capital are opening from today (Friday), in accordance with the polls schedule recently issued by the electoral body. In this context, the LG polls programme for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), issued last week, by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suggested that the public notice by the returning officers inviting nominations for the elections would be issued on 19 December—whereas the polls would be held on 15 February next year. The ICT LG term expired on 14 February 2021, but the electoral entity failed to hold the LG elections in the ICT within the 120-day stipulated period under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017. This law provides that the ECP shall hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of the local governments’ term in a province, cantonment, or ICT. Keeping this in view, the ECP was required to hold the LG elections in the ICT by June 2021. On 18 November, the ECP announced to hold LG elections in the federal capital “immediately,” and directed its secretariat to issue the LG polls schedule forthwith. Still, the related schedule was issued after almost three weeks, on 9 December. On 8 August last year, the poll body formally announced holding LG polls in the ICT on 29 September, last year, and issued the related schedule. On 20 August, the ECP revised the ICT LG polls date to 9 October 2024, saying the decision was taken on the request of different political parties and candidates. However, following the passage of the ICT Local Government (Amendment) Act 2024 by the Parliament in August last year, the ECP on 4 September 2024, decided to hold in abeyance the ICT LG elections’ schedule “till further orders.” Presently, the local bodies are in place in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and cantonments, but LG elections in Punjab and the federal capital have been facing an inordinate delay since 2021. The local bodies’ term in Punjab expired on 31 December 2021. The ECP has repeatedly said in official statements that “whenever” it finalises the LG polls’ preparations, the LG laws are amended by the governments concerned, causing a delay in the elections. Article 218(3) of the Constitution provides that it shall be the ECP’s duty to organise and conduct the elections, and to make such arrangements as are necessary, to ensure that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly, and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025