The Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, didn’t mince words this week. Frustrated by repeated delays in Punjab’s local government elections, he warned that even the Prime Minister and Punjab Chief Minister could be summoned if things don’t move forward soon.
“If elections are not held, we will consider summoning both the PM and CM,” the CEC stated during a hearing at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “This matter can’t be pushed aside anymore.”
The warning came as the ECP reviewed the Punjab government’s failure to set a clear timetable for local body elections. Despite multiple letters and reminders, the Commission says there’s been little progress.
Punjab’s legal representatives cited pending administrative changes and legal hurdles, including re-delimitation and amendments to the local government law. But the ECP wasn’t buying it. “You’ve had more than enough time,” one official remarked. “This delay is bordering on defiance.”
The Constitution requires that power be devolved to the grassroots level, and the CEC stressed that this is not optional. “It’s not a favor — it’s a constitutional obligation,” he added.
Punjab has been operating without elected local governments for more than a year now. Civic activists and opposition leaders claim this void has undermined democratic accountability and service delivery. In many districts, the basic problems like sanitation, clean water, and pot-hole free roads, are ignored because there are no local bodies in operation.
The ECP has now demanded a final, non-negotiable timeline from the Punjab government. If the province fails to respond, the Commission says it won’t hesitate to issue formal notices to senior officials — including the Chief Minister — and escalate the matter further.
Observers say this is the first time the Election Commission has signaled such a strong stance on local polls. It reflects growing concern over what many see as a systematic weakening of grassroots democracy.
While it’s unclear whether the Prime Minister himself would be legally obligated to appear, the CEC’s remarks send a powerful message: that no one is above constitutional responsibility, no matter how high their office.
The coming weeks will be critical. If Punjab fails to submit a clear schedule soon, it could set off a legal and political showdown between the province’s top leadership and the country’s top electoral authority.
