Islamabad Local Government Election 2026: Nominated Candidates List Due 10 November, Scrutiny 11 to 16 November
Islamabad local government election 2026: nominated candidates list due 10 November, scrutiny 11 to 16 November, appeals to 20 November, polling 20 December.
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Short answer: The names of nominated candidates for Islamabad's local government election are due to be published today, Tuesday 10 November 2026. Returning Officers then scrutinise the nomination papers from 11 to 16 November. Appeals can be filed from 17 to 20 November, and polling is on Sunday 20 December, 8 am to 4 pm.
Filing closed on Sunday, 8 November, under the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) revised programme of 5 November 2026. The list of nominated candidates is the first point where voters can see who has filed in their union council. We read the ECP's revised programme and its notifications page early on 10 November. No candidate list was posted on the ECP website when we checked at about 3:30 am, which is expected: the programme gives the whole day for it.
The nominated candidates list is due on 10 November
The ECP's revised programme sets one day, 10 November 2026, for the "publication of names of the nominated candidates". This is the list of everyone who filed papers. It is not yet the final list, because scrutiny, appeals and withdrawals come next.
The programme does not say where the list will be shown. Returning Officers (ROs) handle nomination papers for each union council, so the RO's office is the first place to ask. Keep an eye on the ECP's notifications page as well.
The election is for the general seats of union councils in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The revised programme was issued under Articles 140A and 219(d) of the Constitution, Section 58 of the Elections Act, 2017, Section 17(1) of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 and Rule 11(2) of the ICT Local Government (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2015.
Every step from the list to polling day
After the list comes a fixed run of steps, each with its own date. Two of the periods, scrutiny and the deciding of appeals, exclude Sundays. All activities happen during office hours, and ECP and RO offices stay open on public holidays if a step falls on one.
| Step | Date | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Nomination papers filed with Returning Officers | 2 to 8 November 2026 | 7 |
| Names of nominated candidates published | 10 November | 1 |
| Scrutiny of nomination papers by Returning Officers | 11 to 16 November | 5, excluding Sunday |
| Appeals filed against acceptance or rejection | 17 to 20 November | 4 |
| Appeals decided by the Appellate Authority | 21 to 25 November | 4, excluding Sunday |
| Revised list of candidates published | 26 November | 1 |
| Last date to withdraw, revised list published | 27 November | 1 |
| Symbols allotted, list of contesting candidates published | 28 November | 1 |
| Polling day | 20 December (Sunday) | After 21 days |
| Consolidation of results | 21 to 24 December | 4 |
Our earlier report on the revised Islamabad schedule compares these dates with the original programme of 21 October.
How to check the nominated candidates in your union council
You need to know your union council first, because each list is drawn up by the RO for that area. Your vote record tells you this. Then check the list itself.
- Send your CNIC number, without dashes, by SMS to 8300. The reply gives your electoral area, block code and serial number. Our guide to checking your vote on 8300 explains the reply.
- Find the Returning Officer for that union council. The ECP notified the District Returning Officer, ROs and Assistant ROs for ICT, and changed the DRO notification on 6 November.
- Visit the RO's office during office hours on 10 November or after, and read the list of nominated candidates.
- Check the ECP's notifications page at ecp.gov.pk/notifications for any list or order posted there.
- Note the names, so you can follow them through scrutiny from 11 November.
If you are a candidate, confirm your own name is on the list. If it is missing, go to your RO at once with your filing receipt. Scrutiny starts the next day.
Scrutiny runs from 11 to 16 November
At scrutiny, the Returning Officer examines each nomination paper and either accepts or rejects it. The revised programme allows five working days, 11 to 16 November 2026. Sunday, 15 November, is excluded.
The ECP programme does not set out who may raise an objection at scrutiny, or how. Those details are in the ICT Local Government (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2015, which we could not read on an official page on 10 November. For National and Provincial Assembly polls, Section 62 of the Elections Act lets any voter of the constituency object; our guide on how to contest an election in Pakistan covers that process. Do not assume the same rule applies word for word to union councils. Ask your RO before scrutiny begins.
Bring your CNIC and any document you rely on. A candidate whose paper is in question should attend in person or send an authorised person, so that any defect can be answered on the spot.
Appeals, withdrawals and the final list
If the RO accepts or rejects a paper and you disagree, the programme allows appeals from 17 to 20 November 2026. An Appellate Authority decides them from 21 to 25 November. The ECP named Appellate Authorities by notification in earlier ICT rounds, so watch its notifications page for the names for this round.
A revised list of candidates follows on 26 November. A candidate who wants to pull out must do so by 27 November, when the list is revised again. Symbols are allotted on 28 November, and that day's list of contesting candidates is the one that goes on the ballot.
- Candidates: keep your filing receipt and copies of every document until 28 November.
- Voters: the 28 November list is the final field for your union council.
- Everyone: polling hours on 20 December are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Where Islamabad stands next to the other local government polls
Islamabad is the only one of these polls running on a fixed timetable this month. The ECP has set 7 February 2027 for the first phase of Punjab's local government elections, and has halted all work on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's local government elections. Article 140A of the Constitution requires every province to have elected local governments; our Article 140A explainer sets out the ECP's role.
We will update this page when the ECP or the ROs publish the nominated candidates list or any order on scrutiny.
Common questions
When is the Islamabad local government election 2026?
Polling is on Sunday, 20 December 2026, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, under the ECP's revised programme of 5 November 2026. Results are consolidated from 21 to 24 December.
When will the list of nominated candidates be published?
On 10 November 2026. The programme gives one day for it. Ask at your union council's Returning Officer's office and watch the ECP notifications page.
What are the scrutiny dates for Islamabad nomination papers?
11 to 16 November 2026, excluding Sunday 15 November. Returning Officers accept or reject each paper in this period, during office hours.
What is the last date to withdraw from the Islamabad local government election?
27 November 2026. A revised list of candidates is published the same day, and symbols are allotted on 28 November.
Can I still file a nomination paper?
No. Filing ran from 2 to 8 November 2026 and has closed. The revised programme does not provide any further filing window.
How do I find my union council in Islamabad?
Send your CNIC number by SMS to 8300. The reply shows your electoral area and block code, which tell you which union council and Returning Officer you fall under.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
