ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's proposed amendment to the provincial local government law, saying it conflicts with the Constitution.
The commission has formally communicated its decision to the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through an official letter.
According to the ECP, the proposed amendment seeks to increase the population threshold for village councils from 30,000 to 40,000, a change the commission says is inconsistent with constitutional provisions.
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The letter states that the Election Commission's constitutional powers cannot be curtailed, emphasising that the authority to carry out delimitation of constituencies rests exclusively with the ECP.
The commission further maintained that the revised population limit makes delimitation of village councils impracticable and could result in further delays to the conduct of local government elections.
It also noted that the proposed amendment has created legal ambiguity regarding the existing number of local councils.