The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed Dec. 14 for local government elections in Punjab and sent a draft schedule to the provincial government for consultation.
According to a letter sent to the Punjab chief secretary, the proposed election process will begin with the filing of nomination papers from Oct. 27 to 30, followed by scrutiny from Nov. 2 to 5.
Candidates will be able to file appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers from Nov. 7 to 11, while election tribunals are expected to decide the appeals between Nov. 12 and 16.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature has been proposed as Nov. 18. The final list of candidates will be displayed on Nov. 19, followed by the allotment of election symbols on Nov. 20.
Polling is proposed for Dec. 14, while returning officers are expected to announce the results by Dec. 17.
The ECP has sought the Punjab government’s opinion on the proposed timeline before issuing the final election schedule.
The letter also referred to a consultative meeting held on Aug. 20 between the ECP and a provincial cabinet committee regarding the election date. During the meeting, the commission had agreed to the Punjab government’s proposal to hold the polls between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15, 2027.
Earlier, on Aug. 6, the Punjab cabinet approved Rs. 12.5 billion for conducting local government elections in the province.
Local government elections in Punjab have faced repeated delays since the previous councils completed their term on Dec. 31, 2021. Under the Elections Act, the polls were due within 120 days of the expiry of the local bodies.
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