ECP postpones local government elections in KP - Reason revealed
ECP halts election preparations in KP
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stopped all preparations for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until further orders. The decision came a day after the federal government extended the suspension of Article 140-A of the Constitution to the entire province.
The ECP had earlier directed that elections should be held immediately in districts where the process of drawing electoral boundaries had been completed. However, this instruction excluded 12 districts covered by special emergency measures.
On Thursday, the ECP announced that the first phase of local government elections in Punjab would take place on February 7, 2027. Polling in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, however, has been postponed without a new date.
Federal government extends suspension of Article 140-A
On Wednesday, the federal cabinet transferred the powers of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. The chief minister’s position had become non-functional after governor’s rule and a state of emergency were imposed in the province on October 11.
The government said the transfer of powers was necessary to manage administrative matters, improve governance and ensure the smooth running of provincial affairs. The decision was formally issued through an order of the Cabinet Division and published in the Gazette of Pakistan on November 4.
The order also extended the suspension of Article 140-A to the remaining areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The constitutional provision had already been suspended in certain designated districts.
“The governor will now also exercise the powers of the KP chief minister under the Constitution, the laws and rules in force in the province and the KP government Rules of Business, 1985,” the order stated.
It further directed the governor to keep the federal government informed about executive decisions through monthly reports. Following this development, the ECP stopped preparations for local government elections across the province.
Why is Article 140-A important?
A senior ECP official explained that Article 140-A makes local governments a constitutional requirement in Pakistan. It requires every province to establish an elected local government system through legislation.
The article also requires provinces to transfer political, administrative and financial powers to elected local representatives. It makes the ECP responsible for holding local government elections.
Article 140-A was introduced through the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010. Its purpose was to ensure that local governments remained a constitutional requirement rather than depending on the decision of a chief minister.
What does the suspension mean for elections?
The ECP official said that suspending Article 140-A removes the legal basis for holding local government elections in the affected areas. It also removes the constitutional requirement to maintain an elected local government system and transfer powers and funds to local representatives.
As a result, the ECP has halted the election process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until further orders. The latest decision has left the province without a clear timeline for local government elections.
The suspension of Article 140-A has created uncertainty about the future of elected local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Until the legal position changes or the government issues further orders, the election process is likely to remain on hold.
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