ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking early conduct of local government elections in the federal capital.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani reserved the judgment after hearing arguments from all parties.
During the proceedings, Justice Kayani exchanged remarks with Assistant Attorney General Usman Ghuman and Election Commission’s Director General (Law) Arshad Khan.
Justice Kayani observed that the failure to hold local government elections had severely disrupted the system, noting, “Without local bodies, nothing is functioning properly — even property taxes cannot be imposed. The continued violation of court orders regarding local elections is unacceptable.”
He further remarked, “It is astonishing that those who themselves gave an order for elections in a single day later suspended it while sitting on a division bench. Since 2021, you have been continuously violating the law.”
Responding to the court’s observations, AAG Usman Ghuman stated that amendments in the local government laws had caused the delay in elections, adding that “legislation and amendments are Parliament’s prerogative.”
Justice Kayani replied that the current Parliament is already preoccupied with the 27th Constitutional Amendment, remarking, “At present, the legislature is busy interpreting the Constitution, so further amendments may be difficult.”
Addressing the Assistant Attorney General, Justice Kayani said, “Mr. Ghuman, every wrong act cannot be defended. Parliament is supreme and has the authority to change any law.”
He added that when flawed laws are enacted, “they eventually have to be brought back to zero,” noting that “the more errors there are in a law, the longer it takes to fix them.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commission’s DG (Law) informed the court that several complications existed in the Local Government Act 2025, following the recent amendments related to local elections.
Justice Kayani then asked, “So when will you announce the local government election schedule? You should issue the schedule, and we will then specify an expected date.”
The court also expressed serious concern over one officer simultaneously holding the posts of Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad.
Justice Kayani remarked, “The government finds it convenient that one person holds two positions, without considering the implications.
All powers of the local representatives have been handed over to the CDA, and no one has provided protection to the local government elections.”
Advocate Yawar Gardez represented the petitioner Muhammad Ijlal, while DG (Law) Arshad Khan appeared on behalf of the Election Commission.
After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its verdict on the petition concerning the conduct of Islamabad’s local government elections.
