Local Government Elections in Punjab, Lahore High Court Issues Major Verdict
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has rendered an important judgement on local government elections in Punjab. The court has suspended the notification for delimitation of the constituencies for two union councils in the province.
Jawad Hassan said constituency delimitation needs to be in keeping with safeguarding the right to vote and transparency of electoral procedure. He said delimitation is not only about mapping boundaries, but it is also a tool that is designed to ensure voters’ franchise.
In a petition filed by Muhammad Nadeem against an order issued on July 29, 2026, by the Regional Election Commissioner / Delimitation Authority, Multan, Justice Jawad Hassan of Lahore High Court has issued a written judgement in six pages.
A series of arguments and legal observations.A set of arguments and legal observations.
The petitioner’s attorney stated that the statutory 15 day period for objecting to the preliminary delimitation concluded on June 9, 2026; the preliminary delimitation for Union Councils No. 3 and 4 was published May 25, 2026. The counsel stated that the objections filed by Party No. 7 on June 17 unlawfully accepted by the Delimitation Authority were to change the boundaries, and urged the court to set the same aside.
The Assistant Attorney General objected to the maintenance of the petition during the proceeding. Delimitation should ensure that the vote remains unaltered and that there are no inequalities or political bias that is in favor of or against any political party, Justice Jawad Hassan wrote in the written ruling.
The judgment highlights, that factors such as population, geographical compactness, administrative boundaries, communication links, public convenience and mutual regional interests have to be considered extensively in delimitation. The process should be completely neutral, the court said in emphasizing this point, as it would not give any political entity an advantage that would compromise the transparency of the elections.
The court has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan and other respondents to give their explanations by August 25 in the light of the gazette notification containing the delimitation of Union Councils No. 3 and 4 in the city of Multan, while prohibiting the gazette notification.The court has directed the EC of Pakistan and other respondents to explain on August 25 regarding the gazette notification which was issued for the delimitation of Union Councils No. 3 and 4 in the city of Multan.