Provincial assembly presses Center to amend Article 140-A requiring local government elections within 90 days of dissolution
The Punjab Assembly has sent a resolution to the federal government, seeking constitutional protection for local governments through an amendment to Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Article 140-A refers to the establishment of local governments in the provinces. But it remains largely ambiguous as to the details. “Each province shall establish, by law, a local government system and delegate political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local government,” the provision states.
The law further makes the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) responsible for holding local government elections.
The Punjab government’s proposal calls for the inclusion of a new chapter in the Constitution titled “Local Governments” and recommends that the mandate and responsibilities of local bodies be clearly defined, with stipulations that local government elections be held within 90 days of the end of the mandate and that newly elected representatives convene their first session within 21 days.
The resolution, sent to the secretaries of the National Assembly and the Senate, was unanimously adopted by the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The motion moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPAs Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhry and Rana Muhammad Arshad and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Ali Haider Gillani was supported by all parties.
Read: New Local Government Law comes into force
“This Assembly represents 120 million people. Parliament must seriously consider this issue,” Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan told the media.
Khan called for a clear timeline for local government elections, regardless of which political party is in power. He stressed that successive governments have repeatedly dissolved local bodies instead of strengthening them.
“Article 140-A is incomplete: provinces should be required to establish local governments. In the past, new governments have taken years to legislate after dissolving previous local systems.”
Khan argued that the need for local government is paramount since Pakistan, with a population of more than 250 million, cannot be effectively governed by just 1,500 people: “Without empowered local governments, democratic benefits cannot reach the people, and public trust in democracy will begin to erode.”
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The document points out that since the 18th Amendment, local elected bodies in Punjab have functioned for only two years. It reiterates that an empowered and well-resourced local government system is vital to ensure timely elections and effective service delivery.
The 18th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 2010, was seen as a landmark legislation, which transferred legislative, administrative and fiscal authority from the Center to the provinces and local governments.
The Punjab Assembly urged the federal government to amend Article 140-A without delay, recalling that the Supreme Court has recognized local governments as an essential part of democracy. The resolution noted that in December 2022, the ECP had also recommended amendments to Article 140-A.
He further stated that the lack of continuity and frequent legal changes have weakened local government institutions. The resolution also cited international examples where local governments enjoy constitutional protection, referencing the Lahore Charter of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which emphasized the need to empower local governance.
The new Punjab local government law
The Punjab government recently passed the new Local Government Act, 2025, which introduces a new structure comprising municipal corporations, Tehsil councils and municipal (city) committees. The law formally abolishes the district council system across Punjab, which came into effect on October 13.
Under the new system, each union council will represent a population of between 22,000 and 27,000 people and will be composed of 13 members in total, including 9 directly elected councilors and 4 reserved seats (for women, youth, workers and minorities). The members of the Union Council will elect a President and a Vice President by vote.
