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Punjab Tells LHC Local Government Elections Will Be Held on Party Basis
Punjab govt informs Lahore High Court that upcoming local government elections will be held on a party basis, as LHC hears petitions challenging the Punjab Local Government Act 2025.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-22
Punjab Tells LHC Local Government Elections Will Be Held on Party Basis

The Punjab government on Monday informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the upcoming local government (LG) elections in the province would be conducted on a party basis, amid legal challenges to the Punjab Local Government Act 2025 (PLGA).

The assurance was given by an assistant advocate general (AAG) during the hearing of petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-backed lawmaker Sheikh Imtiaz and others, who have challenged various provisions of the newly enacted law.

The law officer submitted a report on behalf of the local government secretary, stating that any political party wishing to participate in the LG polls would be allowed to issue party tickets to its candidates.

“Section 55 of the PLGA does not, in any manner, put any political party at a disadvantage compared to others,” the AAG told the court.

Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad observed that since the government itself had clarified that the elections would be party-based, the core grievance of the petitioners appeared to have been addressed.

Responding to the observation, the petitioners’ counsel said that their concern on this specific point stood resolved, provided the government’s statement was made part of the court record. The judge allowed the request.

During the hearing, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Director General (Law) Khurram Shahzad told the court that the commission was a constitutional body fully prepared to perform its responsibilities.

He revealed that the ECP had written nearly 80 letters to the Punjab government over the past four years urging it to hold local government elections. “The commission will conduct polls under whatever law the government enacts,” he said, adding that the Punjab government had given January 10 as the deadline for election preparations.

Justice Ahmad questioned why the advocate general’s office had not filed a formal reply to the petitions challenging the PLGA 2025. Directing the advocate general to submit a response by Tuesday, the judge remarked that certain provisions of the impugned law appeared to be inconsistent with the Constitution.

“The matter needs to be decided promptly,” the judge observed.

It may be recalled that in October, the ECP had announced that local government elections would be held in the last week of December under the Punjab Local Government Act 2022. However, following strong intervention by the ECP, the Punjab government passed the PLGA 2025 through the provincial assembly in just five days, effectively replacing the earlier law.

In response, PTI legislators held consultations with party lawyers and decided to challenge the new Act in court.

Local government institutions in Punjab were originally dissolved in 2019 by the then PTI-led provincial government. Although they were later restored by the Supreme Court, their term ended on December 31, 2021. Under Article 140-A of the Constitution and Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, the ECP is constitutionally bound to hold local government elections within 120 days of the expiry of the term.

Despite this constitutional requirement, LG elections in Punjab have yet to be held, prolonging the absence of elected local bodies in the province.
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PunjabPolitics

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