The Islamabad High Court has reserved its judgment on a petition seeking the early conduct of local government elections in the federal capital. The hearing was presided over by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, who expressed serious concern over the continued delay in holding local body elections, emphasizing that the absence of an elected local governance system has severely disrupted administrative and municipal functions in Islamabad.
During the hearing, senior representatives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), including the Director General (Law), the Assistant Attorney General, and other relevant government officials appeared before the court. The petition argued that the prolonged delay in conducting local council polls has not only violated constitutional principles but has also deprived citizens of a functional grassroots governance mechanism. The petitioner maintained that an effective local government system is essential for addressing municipal issues, resolving community-level disputes, and ensuring efficient delivery of civic services.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani made strong remarks during the proceedings, stating that the failure to conduct local government elections has led to the collapse of the local governance framework. He noted that due to the absence of elected local bodies, basic matters such as property tax administration and municipal planning have been adversely affected. He criticized the repeated non-compliance with judicial directives, highlighting that the implementation of court rulings is essential for upholding the rule of law.
The Director General (Law) of the Election Commission informed the court that recent amendments made to the Local Government Act 2025 had created legal complications, contributing to the delay in holding elections. He stated that the commission was reviewing the matter in light of these legislative changes to determine how the election process should proceed under the revised legal framework.
In response, the Assistant Attorney General argued that the delay in conducting local body polls resulted primarily from the legislative process itself. He maintained that local government elections could only be held once the legal framework had been settled, as lawmaking lies within the jurisdiction of the Parliament. He added that the government had been working to refine and improve the legal structure governing local councils to ensure transparency and effectiveness in future elections.
However, Justice Kayani rejected the justification presented by the government’s legal counsel, stating that poor lawmaking cannot be used as an excuse to delay democratic processes. He pointed out that the Parliament is currently preoccupied with interpreting the Constitution due to broader ongoing developments, suggesting that relying on legislative reform to justify ongoing delays was neither reasonable nor acceptable. He remarked that poorly drafted laws often require complete reversal and reconstruction, causing long-term administrative complications.
Justice Kayani further stated that defending flawed legal measures is not in the public interest and insisted that competent and transparent governance demands timely elections to restore municipal authority. He noted that local governments act as the backbone of community-level administration and development, and without them, essential public services, urban planning, sanitation systems, and city maintenance operations suffer.
The case underscores the broader debate over the state of local governance in Pakistan, where local bodies remain suspended or non-functional in many regions due to political considerations, legal disputes, or administrative delays. Analysts argue that depriving citizens of representation at the municipal level leads to inefficiency, wastage of resources, and centralized decision-making that distances policymakers from ground realities. Critics also stress that local body elections are a constitutional obligation under Article 140-A, which binds provincial and federal governments to establish an empowered system of local self-governance.
In Islamabad, civic concerns have grown increasingly visible in recent years — ranging from inadequate waste management and road maintenance to water shortages and unregulated urban expansion. Without an elected mayor and council to oversee these issues, responsibility falls on bureaucratic administrators who lack the mandate and accountability mechanisms inherent in elected institutions. Civil society organizations and community groups have repeatedly demanded restoration of local government structures to ensure responsiveness and transparency.
