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ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to summon from Friday onwards the Deputy Commissioners appointed in the districts across Punjab if its instructions regarding local government elections in the province were not followed, in accordance with the electoral body’s decision taken last week. The related deadline for the Punjab government to share the required data with the ECP ended on Thursday. The ECP, it is learnt, would review whether the provincial government has provided all the relevant data. In case of non-compliance on that count, the Commission would begin summoning the DCs to obtain the required data directly from them, it is further learnt. READ MORE: LG polls in Punjab, ICT: Finally, ECP fixes hearing for today On 5 March, Punjab’s Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Secretary LG Punjab Shakeel Ahmad Mian appeared before the ECP’s five-member full bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, for the hearing of the case involving prolonged delay in the conduct of LG polls in Punjab. In the case proceedings, Zaman had assured the ECP bench to provide the required data regarding Punjab LG system by 12 March. The bench decided to summon the DCs appointed in every district of Punjab from 13 March onwards, to directly obtain from them the required data, if the provincial government failed to provide the required documents by March 12. In the hearing of this case on 22 January, this year, the ECP constituted a committee to work in coordination with Punjab government to finalise measures for holding LG elections in Punjab, warning that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz would be summoned if the provincial government continued to show non-compliance with electoral body’s directions over LG elections. The ECP bench directed the committee, headed by Special Secretary ECP Zafar Iqbal Hussain, to finalise steps by 10 February for holding LG elections in the province. Still, the matter remains pending amidst alleged lack of compliance by the provincial government to the ECP’s instructions. The local bodies’ term in Punjab expired on 31 December 2021. The electoral body is bound to hold LG elections within 120 days of the expiry of the relevant local bodies’ term, under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
