ECP orders local government polls in eligible KP districts, excludes 12 under special arrangements

• Elections will proceed in KP districts where delimitation is complete, excluding those covered by special administrative arrangements.
• The ECP has directed officials to prepare an election programme and complete pending delimitation in other eligible districts.
• The provincial government had sought a delay over security concerns, emergency measures and troop deployment.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday directed officials to prepare for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts where constituency delimitation has been completed, excluding 12 districts placed under special administrative arrangements.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja announced the reserved verdict in the KP local government elections case. The commission instructed its office to submit an election programme for approval for districts ready to hold polls.

The decision came after a five-member bench, headed by the chief election commissioner, heard the matter on Tuesday. The provincial government had requested that elections be postponed, citing the law and order situation, emergency measures and the deployment of troops.

During the proceedings, ECP Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal told the bench that delimitation had been completed in 23 districts and that an official order could allow elections to move ahead there.

In its ruling, the commission said polls would not be scheduled in Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Mohmand, Orakzai and North Waziristan in view of the federal government’s October 11 order.

It also directed officials to announce delimitation schedules for other districts where the exercise remains unfinished. Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan were excluded from this process.

Together, these 12 districts fall under the special administrative framework involving the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC).

To support timely elections and delimitation, the ECP also ordered the adjustment and determination of village and neighbourhood councils, along with category-wise reserved seats in the relevant tehsil councils. The directions include councils in Karak, Hangu, Swat, Bar Swat, Battagram, Paharpur and Allai.

The commission also considered amendments made by the provincial government to local government legislation that affected the delimitation exercise.

Local bodies elected during the first phase completed their terms in March 2026, while the tenure of those elected in the second phase ended in June.

The election proceedings took place against the backdrop of emergency measures and changes to KP’s administrative structure. On October 11, 2026, President Asif Ali Zardari proclaimed an emergency and governor’s rule in the province under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The federal government cited deteriorating security conditions and shortcomings in the provincial administration’s counterterrorism efforts as reasons for the move.

Under the arrangement, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi took responsibility for provincial affairs with support from an 11-member advisory council. Parliament endorsed the emergency measures at a joint sitting on October 15.

The federal government also established an Area Development Secretariat (ADS) to oversee administrative and development matters in the 12 designated districts. The ARDC was introduced to provide local representation and oversight in those areas.

According to The News, the framework includes key appointments to manage provincial affairs and coordinate activities across the designated districts. The ADS is intended to support governance, development and security-related administration.

The districts covered by the arrangement are Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan.