The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed that local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory must take place under the ICT LG Act 2015. Officials received clear instructions to release a fresh election schedule without further delay.
A five-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja issued the order on Wednesday while hearing a case about repeated delays in the capital’s local polls. The commission told its officials to prepare and announce the new schedule the same day in line with the 2015 legislation.
The last elected local government in Islamabad completed its term in February 2021. More than five years later, fresh elections still had not been held. Legal and administrative hurdles kept pushing the process back. Under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act 2017, the commission must hold new local government elections within 120 days after a term ends. That legal deadline has long passed.
Earlier this year the Election Commission sent its detailed feedback on the Islamabad Local Government Rules to the Ministry of Interior on 20 July 2026. The goal was to make sure the legislation and rules matched the commission’s recommendations before any new schedule could be issued. Notices were also sent to the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the chief commissioner of the Islamabad Capital Territory.
With the latest order, the path for Islamabad local polls is now clearer. Residents of the federal capital have waited a long time for the chance to elect their local representatives. The decision to follow the 2015 law removes one of the main obstacles that had blocked progress. Officials are now expected to move quickly so that the long-pending exercise can finally take place.
The development marks an important step toward restoring local democracy in Islamabad after years of administrative delay. Voters in the capital will soon know the exact dates for nominations, campaigning and polling once the fresh schedule is made public.
