The Federal Cabinet’s approval of a proposal to postpone local government elections in Islamabad has once again raised the prospect of suspending the LG election schedule in the federal capital. If happened, this would be the fourth time the LG elections are postponed after the announcement of poll schedule.
Read the timeline of developments in ICT LG elections since 2021
However, the postponement is not automatic. The conduct of elections falls within the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which had already issued the schedule for ICT local government elections on December 9, 2025.
What decision did the Federal Cabinet take?
According to media reports, the federal cabinet on January 2, 2026 approved proposals to amend the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 and defer the local government elections. These elections have remained pending since 2021.
The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the Chief Commissioner Islamabad briefed the cabinet on the local government elections in ICT. The Cabinet also ratified earlier decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Legislation on December 3 and December 30, 2025.
Where does the election process currently stand?
The electoral process in ICT is already underway under the ECP’s notified schedule. Issuance of the election schedule on December 9 formally initiated the process, which has since advanced to the scrutiny of nomination papers. Over 4,000 nomination papers have been submitted for 1,125 general seats across 125 union councils.
Read FAFEN’s coverage of the nomination process for ICT LG elections
Under the Constitution and the Elections Act, the authority to conduct, postpone, or suspend elections rests exclusively with the ECP. Any change to the ongoing electoral process would therefore require a formal decision by the Commission.
What happens next?
The balls is now in the Election Commission’s court, which will need to examine the legal implications of the cabinet decisions. The Commission’s order will determine whether ICT local government elections proceed as scheduled or are deferred once again.
