QUETTA/ISLAMABAD (MNN); The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday dismissed Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti’s request to delay the Quetta local government elections, which are scheduled for December 28.
Bugti had submitted the plea on Monday, arguing that the deteriorating security situation and suspension of internet services in the provincial capital made it unsuitable to conduct the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation polls.
In a written order, the ECP rejected the petition as “devoid of force” and affirmed that the elections would proceed as planned on December 28. One of the six commission members supported postponement, but the majority voted to uphold the original schedule.
The ECP directed the Balochistan government and all relevant authorities to fully support the election process and ensure comprehensive security for voters, candidates, polling staff and the general public.
The order noted that Bugti had formally sought postponement on December 8, urging a delay until weather conditions, security, administrative readiness, constituency demarcation and voter roll accuracy were deemed satisfactory. The commission reviewed the matter a day later.
Addressing concerns over constituency demarcation, the ECP clarified that the delimitation process had been carried out strictly according to legal requirements — publishing preliminary lists, inviting objections and finalising constituencies after hearings.
The body also referred to an October 10 Balochistan High Court ruling that dismissed petitions seeking election delays and instructed the ECP to hold polls “as soon as possible.”
The commission further stated that Bugti had incorrectly calculated the expiry of the current local government term. Under the Balochistan Local Government Act, the tenure is four years. Union council and municipal representatives took oath on February 9, 2023 — meaning their term ends on February 9, 2027 — while district council members sworn in on July 6, 2023, complete their term on July 5, 2027.
The ECP added that voter roll reconciliation had already been carried out through door-to-door verification and the election schedule was issued only after this process was completed.
Despite completing delimitation twice and issuing election programmes on two occasions, elections could not be held earlier due to various delays, the order said.
On law and order concerns, the ECP cited a 2021 Supreme Court decision involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where similar objections were dismissed and the court had directed that elections proceed.
The commission also highlighted that ballot paper printing was already underway and most papers had been completed.
However, in his dissenting note, ECP member Shah Muhammad Jatoi warned that severe winter conditions could lower voter turnout, as many residents temporarily leave Quetta during December. He also expressed concerns regarding the overall security situation in Balochistan.
Quetta Local Government Polls
The provincial government had earlier requested the ECP on November 2 to delay the polls for similar reasons, but the commission rejected that request as well.
On October 6, the Balochistan High Court also turned down multiple petitions demanding postponement and instructed the provincial election commissioner to conduct elections at the earliest.
Following the court directive, the ECP began preparations and issued the election schedule on November 13.
Local body elections in Quetta will now be held in 172 union councils and 641 wards, with a total of 2,710 candidates in the running.
The previous local bodies completed their term in January 2019, but elections were delayed for more than three years due to political disagreements over amendments to the Balochistan Local Government Act and issues surrounding delimitation.
While Lasbela held its local body elections at the end of 2022, Quetta’s polls were stalled due to ongoing litigation regarding ward delimitation.
