The Punjab government on Monday informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that local government (LG) elections in the province will be conducted on a party basis, allowing political parties to issue tickets to candidates.

The disclosure came during the hearing of petitions challenging the Local Government Act 2025.

Justice Sultan Tanveer directed the Advocate General to submit a detailed response to all petitions by Tuesday.

The Punjab Local Government Department also submitted its report to the court.

Assistant Advocate General Punjab told the court that the upcoming LG elections will not be non-party-based, and party tickets can be issued.

The bench asked the petitioners to clarify their stance in light of the government’s statement.

The petitioners’ counsel responded that their case was “effectively closed” if the elections are indeed on a party basis, but requested that the official statement be recorded.

During the proceedings, the court observed that some provisions of the 2025 Act may conflict with the Constitution.

It also noted that organising elections involves significant expenditure and logistical preparations, including constituency delimitation and handling objections.

The court warned that if the decision went against the government, these preparations could go to waste.

The LHC adjourned the hearing until Tuesday, instructing the Advocate General to submit a comprehensive reply so the case can be decided.

This development clarifies that the Punjab government intends to conduct LG elections with political party participation, a shift from the non-party system in previous local polls.