Islamabad local government elections scheduled for December 20

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that local government elections in Islamabad will be held on December 20, 2026. This decision follows years of delays and uncertainty regarding the polls in the federal capital.

The electoral schedule includes the submission of nomination papers from November 2 to November 6, followed by a scrutiny period from November 9 to November 13. Candidates may file appeals against the rejection of their papers between November 14 and November 18, with decisions expected by November 23. The deadline for withdrawing nominations is November 25, and election symbols will be allotted on November 26.

The ECP issued the order under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015. The commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, addressed previous disruptions caused by an expired amendment ordinance and delays in the provision of local government rules by the Ministry of Interior.