Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has launched formal talks with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to set a date for local government elections across 23 districts, a crucial step after the expiry of LG terms earlier this year. Main Developments Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired a meeting at the ECP Secretariat on Tuesday, attended by commission members, the ECP secretary, the KP chief secretary, and the local government secretary. The commission stressed that holding LG elections is a constitutional requirement under Article 140-A, and the ECP is bound by Section 219(4) of the Elections Act, 2017, to conduct polls within 120 days of the expiry of LG terms. The meeting was briefed that LG terms in KP expired on March 14 and June 19, 2026, respectively. The ECP reported that delimitation in the 23 districts is complete and the commission is "fully prepared" to conduct elections there. Read also: 3 Afghan camps cleared: 525 families repatriated from Bannu Under Section 219(3) of the Elections Act and Rule 15(1) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Councils (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2021, the ECP must consult the provincial government before announcing the election schedule. The KP chief secretary confirmed that the ECP’s consultation letter was received on July 8, 2026, and a summary was sent to the provincial cabinet immediately. The provincial administration expressed readiness to assist the commission and make arrangements for the polls. The ECP asked the chief secretary to provide a copy of the summary. It was decided that another round of consultations would take place after 15 days to finalize the election date. Background The tenure of local governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ended on March 15 this year, as per the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013, which mandates a four-year term for local representatives. Last week, the ECP warned the KP government against delaying the elections, directing it to submit all pending delimitation notifications ahead of a hearing on July 28. Why It Matters These elections will restore grassroots governance in 23 districts, directly impacting service delivery and local development. Delays could undermine constitutional requirements and public trust in democratic processes, especially as the ECP has signaled its readiness while the provincial government must comply with legal timelines. What's Next A second round of consultations is scheduled in 15 days to fix the election date. The ECP will also review the summary sent to the provincial cabinet, with the next hearing on July 28 expected to address pending delimitation notifications.