The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a stay order suspending the schedule for local government elections in the federal capital. Announced by Justice Umair Majeed Malik, the court order halts the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) notification issued on October 21.
The court action follows a petition filed by citizen Amjad Ali through his counsel, Advocate Adil Aziz Qazi. The legal challenge argued that after fresh delimitation took place in 2024 and a subsequent election schedule was announced, a new Local Government Ordinance was introduced in 2026. The petitioner contended that once that ordinance ceased to operate, the election schedule was issued without properly restoring the prior delimitation boundaries.
With the suspension in effect, the IHC has put the electoral process temporarily on hold and directed the concerned parties to submit their formal responses by November 26, when the matter is slated for further proceedings.
