ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved its judgment on a petition calling for early local government elections in the federal capital. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani presided over the hearing, with advocate Yawar Gardazi representing the petitioner and Arshad Khan, DG (Law) of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), appearing before the court.
During the proceedings, Justice Kayani criticized the prolonged delay in holding local elections, emphasizing that the absence of elected representatives had paralyzed the system. “Without elected representatives, no property tax can be imposed, and nothing is functioning properly. Court orders regarding local elections have been repeatedly violated,” he remarked.
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The Assistant Attorney General, Usman Ghumman, argued that amendments to the Local Government Act had caused the delay, as legislative matters fall under Parliament’s jurisdiction. Justice Kayani responded that Parliament is preoccupied with the 27th Constitutional Amendment, and further amendments seemed unlikely at this stage.
The ECP’s DG Law acknowledged that the complexities in the Local Government Act 2025 amendments had contributed to the delay. Justice Kayani further criticized the administrative setup in Islamabad, noting that the same individual serving as CDA chairman and chief commissioner had concentrated powers, undermining the local government system.
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The court has now reserved its verdict, leaving the timeline for early local government elections in the federal capital pending.