The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to hold another consultative meeting in 15 days on fixing the date for local government elections in 23 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, was attended by ECP members, the ECP secretary, the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the secretary of the provincial Local Government Department and other relevant officials.
Officials said that the ECP has completed the delimitation process in the 23 districts, making it necessary to determine the date for the local government elections.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Election Commissioner said that holding local government elections is a constitutional requirement under Article 140A of the Constitution. He added that under Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, the ECP is legally required to conduct local government elections within 120 days of the expiry of local governments’ term.
Officials briefed the meeting that the terms of local government institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expired on March 14 and June 19, 2026, respectively, and that the Election Commission has completed its preparations for the polls.
Officials said that consultations with the provincial government are continuing to determine the election date in accordance with Section 219(3) of the Elections Act and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Councils (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2021.
The Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told the meeting that the consultation letter sent by the ECP on July 8, 2026 had been forwarded to the provincial cabinet. He said the provincial government is ready to provide administrative support and make the necessary arrangements for the elections.
While concluding the meeting, the Election Commission requested a copy of the relevant summary from the Chief Secretary and decided to hold another consultative meeting after 15 days to finalise the date for local government elections in the 23 districts.
ECP steps up nationwide women voter registration campaign
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stepped up its nationwide women voter registration campaign to reduce the gender gap between male and female voters.
According to the ECP, mobile registration vans are conducting the campaign in 62 districts, including remote areas, with the aim of registering as many eligible women as possible on the electoral rolls.
Sources said the special campaign aims to register around 1.8 million new women voters.
The ECP said its goal is to reduce the gender gap between male and female voters by one percentage point each year.
According to the commission’s data, the gender gap in the voter list has gradually declined to 7.74% since the 2018 general elections. However, efforts are continuing to reduce the gap further.