Provincial Assembly pushes Center to amend Article 140-A making local elections mandatory within 90 days of dissolution
The Punjab Assembly has sent a resolution to the federal government, seeking constitutional protection for local governments through an amendment to Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Article 140-A concerns the creation of local governments in the provinces. But it remains largely ambiguous on the details. “Each province shall, by law, establish a system of local government and delegate political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to elected representatives of local government,” the provision states.
The law further vests the responsibility for conducting local elections with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The Punjab government’s proposal calls for the inclusion of a new chapter in the Constitution titled “Local Governments” and recommends that the mandate and responsibilities of local bodies be clearly defined, with stipulations that local elections must be held within 90 days of the end of the term and that newly elected representatives must convene their first session within 21 days.
Forwarded to the secretaries of the National Assembly and Senate, the resolution was unanimously adopted by the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The motion moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPs Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhry and Rana Muhammad Arshad and Ali Haider Gillani of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was supported by all parties.
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“This Assembly represents 120 million people. Parliament must look into this issue seriously,” Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said while speaking to the media.
Khan called for a clear timetable for local elections, regardless of which political party is in power. He pointed out that successive governments have repeatedly dissolved local bodies instead of strengthening them.
“Article 140-A is incomplete: provinces must be required to establish local governments. In the past, new governments took years to legislate after dissolving previous local systems.”
Khan argued that the need for local government is paramount because Pakistan, with a population of over 250 million, cannot be effectively governed by just 1,500 individuals: “Without empowered local governments, democratic benefits cannot flow to the people and public confidence in democracy will begin to erode.” »
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The document notes that since the 18th Amendment, the elected local bodies in Punjab have functioned for only two years. It reiterates that a local government system with sufficient powers and resources is essential to ensure timely elections and effective service delivery.
The 18th constitutional amendment, passed in 2010, was considered a landmark legislation, transferring legislative, administrative and fiscal authority from the Center to the provinces, down to local governments.
The Punjab Assembly has urged the federal government to amend Article 140-A without delay, recalling that the Supreme Court has recognized local governments as an essential part of democracy. The resolution notes that in December 2022, the ECP had also recommended amendments to Article 140-A.
He further stated that the lack of continuity and frequent legal changes have weakened local government institutions. The resolution also cites international examples where local governments enjoy constitutional protection, referencing the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Lahore Charter, which highlights the need to empower local governance.
The new Punjab Local Government Act
The Punjab government recently passed the new Local Government Act, 2025, which introduces a new structure comprising Municipal Corporations, Tehsil Councils and Municipal (Urban) Committees. The law officially abolishes the district council system throughout Punjab, which came into effect on October 13.
Under the new system, each Union Council will represent a population of between 22,000 and 27,000 inhabitants and will include 13 members in total, including 9 directly elected councilors and 4 reserved seats (for women, youth, workers and minorities). The members of the Union Council will elect a president and a vice-president by vote.
