LAHORE: The Punjab government has informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the forthcoming local government elections in the province will be conducted on a party basis, as provided under Section 68 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2025. The submission was made during proceedings on petitions challenging the validity of amendments to the Act.
The case is being heard by Justice Sultan Tanveer Ahmed on a petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami, which has sought directions for holding local bodies elections on party lines. During the hearing, the court asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to clarify its position regarding the mode of elections.
Counsel for the Punjab government argued that the law clearly requires elections to be held on a party basis. However, the court expressed concern over the Election Commission’s delayed response and adjourned the proceedings until December 23. Justice Ahmed noted that it was difficult to move forward without a clear reply from the ECP.
The judge also recalled that during a previous hearing on December 19, both the Punjab government and the Election Commission had been directed to submit responses. He expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s repeated failure to comply with court orders, terming the delay a waste of public resources. He added that if the government disagreed with the court’s interpretation, it had the option to amend the law.
Meanwhile, ECP counsel Imran Arif Ranjha submitted a written statement clarifying that the commission was not involved in drafting or amending the Act and was only responsible for conducting elections under the government’s framework. He further stated that the election schedule had already been issued and requested dismissal of the petition.
The petitioners contended that recent amendments undermined democratic principles by curtailing the financial and administrative independence of local bodies and empowering bureaucrats. They argued that non-party elections violated constitutional rights under Articles 17, 32, and 140A, and sought court orders to ensure party-based elections and limit bureaucratic interference.
