A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) October 21, 2026 order and the schedule for local government polls in the federal capital. Chaudhry Amjad Ali filed the petition through counsel Barrister Adil Aziz Qazi.
The petitioner contends that elections cannot be held without first determining the legal status of the existing delimitation of constituencies. He maintains that the legal framework for Islamabad’s local government constituencies requires settlement and a fresh, transparent delimitation.
The petition states that the legal term for Islamabad’s local government institutions expired in February 2021. It argues that under the Elections Act 2017, holding elections within 120 days of that expiry was a legal requirement. The petitioner requested the court to declare the ECP’s October 21, 2026 order and schedule illegal and set them aside. He also sought the suspension or postponement of the electoral process until a final decision is reached and fresh delimitation is conducted according to the law.
The ECP, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, Capital Development Authority (CDA), and other relevant authorities are named as respondents.
According to the petition, the ECP scheduled the submission of nomination papers from November 2 to 6, 2026, with polling set for December 20, 2026. The petitioner alleged that the commission intended to conduct these elections based on outdated delimitations.
The petition traces the timeline of the delimitation process, noting that the ECP issued a delimitation schedule on December 12, 2024. On December 26, 2025, the commission announced a fresh election programme with a polling date of February 15, 2026, but this programme was later withdrawn due to changes in the legal framework.
The petition states that final lists issued through Form 09 on October 14, 2026, showed 130 union councils under three town corporations. However, the petitioner notes that the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015 provides for 125 union councils and 1,125 general wards. The petitioner is seeking a judicial determination of the legal and institutional framework governing delimitation in Islamabad before the local government elections proceed.
