The Sindh Assembly on Monday passed the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2026 by a majority vote, introducing changes aimed at ensuring continuity in local governments and expanding the role of elected representatives.
Sindh Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar presented the bill in the House.
Under the approved legislation, the mayor will assume the powers of administrator after expiry of a council’s term, while outgoing elected representatives will continue as administrators until newly elected representatives take office.
The bill also designates the deputy mayor or vice chairman as convener of the council, with responsibility for presiding over meetings.
Union council chairmen will be empowered to identify illegal constructions and report them to the Sindh Building Control Authority.
The legislation also provides for the establishment of conciliation forums, which must be constituted within 90 days.
Speaking to the media after passage of the bill, Lanjar said the amendment legislation had been brought to the Assembly after consultation with political parties.
He said a special committee comprising members of the MQM, PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami had discussed each clause and that several suggestions made by opposition members had been accepted.
Lanjar said the government would write to the Election Commission of Pakistan 120 days before the expiry of local bodies’ terms to facilitate timely elections.
He said powers of local representatives would cease once the election schedule was announced.
According to Lanjar, the MQM had proposed a 90-day period for approaching the Election Commission, while the government opted for 120 days to maintain continuity.
“We want continuity to be maintained,” he said, adding that the government wanted local government elections to be held on time.
Lanjar said the amendments also strengthened the powers of chairmen and conciliation committees and added that police would recognise the authority of local representatives.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, meanwhile, criticised the MQM over its position on the legislation and accused the party of avoiding local government elections.
He said MQM members adopted different positions inside and outside the Assembly and claimed the party had boycotted previous local government elections shortly before polling.
Memon said the amendments were not major and argued that Sindh’s local government system gave elected bodies greater powers than those in other provinces.
He also said the provincial government had proposed transferring solid waste management functions to local governments and maintained that police authorities were accountable to elected representatives.
The Sindh Assembly session was later adjourned until 3pm on Tuesday.