Provincial Assembly presses Center to amend Article 140-A that mandates local government polls within 90 days of dissolution
The Punjab Assembly has sent a resolution to the federal government seeking constitutional protection for local governments via an amendment to Article 140-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Article 140-A relates to establishment of local governments in provinces. But it remains largely ambiguous on details. “Each province shall by law establish a system of local government and confer political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority on the elected representatives of the local government,” the provision states.
The law also holds the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) responsible for conducting local government elections.
The proposal by the Punjab government calls for the inclusion of a new chapter in the constitution titled “Local Governments” and recommends that the tenure and responsibilities of local bodies be clearly defined, with provisions for local government elections to be held within 90 days of the end of the term and for newly elected representatives to convene their first session within 21 days.
The resolution was forwarded to the secretaries of the National Assembly and the Senate and was unanimously passed by the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The motion moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) MPAs Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhry and Rana Muhammad Arshad, and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Ali Haider Gillani, was supported by all parties.
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“This assembly represents 120 million people. Parliament must look into this issue seriously,” Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said while addressing 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 disbanded local bodies instead of strengthening them.
“Article 140-A is incomplete —- provinces must be bound 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 as Pakistan, with a population of over 250 million, cannot be effectively governed by just 1,500 individuals: “Without empowered local governments, democratic benefits cannot reach the people and public confidence in democracy will begin to erode.”
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The document notes that since the 18th Amendment, elected local bodies in Punjab have functioned for only two years. It reiterates that an empowered and resourceful local government system is essential to ensure timely elections and effective service delivery.
The 18th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 2010, was seen as a landmark piece of legislation, devolving legislative, administrative and fiscal authority from the center to the provinces, down to the local governments.
The Punjab Assembly urged the federal government to amend Article 140-A without delay and recalled 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.
It further stated that the absence of continuity and frequent legislative changes have weakened local public institutions. The resolution also cited international examples where local governments enjoy constitutional protection, citing the Lahore Charter of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which emphasized the need to strengthen local governance.
Punjab New Local Government Act
The Punjab government recently passed the new Local Government Act 2025 which introduces a new structure consisting of Municipal Corporations, Tehsil Councils and Municipal (Town) Committees. The Act formally abolishes the District Council system across Punjab, which came into force on 13 October.
Under the new system, each Union Council will represent a population of between 22,000 and 27,000 and will comprise 13 members in total, including 9 directly elected councilors and 4 reserved seats (for women, youth, labor and minorities). The members of the association council elect a chairman and deputy chairman by voting.
