ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday announced to hold the first phase of Local Govt (LG) elections in Punjab on June 9 this year.
The first phase of elections will be held in a total of 17 districts including DG Khan, Sailkot, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layaah, Bahawalpur Khanewal, Attock, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Vehari, Mandhi Bahauddin, Chiniot, Khushab, Pakpattan and TT Singh. There are 4 metropolitans, 679 neighborhood counselors, 1,430 village counselors and 17 district counselors in the districts. According to schedule, the public notice inviting nomination papers will be issued by the returning officers (ROs) from April 18 although the last date for withdrawal of candidature and publication of candidate list would be issued on May 19, said the notification.
The ROs will publish names of candidates on April 26 and the nomination papers will be scrutinised between April 27 to 9th May. Appeals against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers could be filed from 10-12 May, whereas the relevant appellate tribunal will decide those appeals until May 14. The ROs will publish the revised list of candidate on May 16 and the date for withdrawal of nomination papers by the candidates and publication of the revised lists of candidates is May 19. Later on, the returning officers would allot election symbols to candidates on May 20 and the polling will be held on June 9 as well as the consolidation of election results will take place on 14 June 2022. The notification issued by ECP said that a code of conduct banning all executive authorities in the federation and provinces from either announcing any development project or using state resources in the election which could influence the elections in favour of a particular candidate.
It warned that if any person in government service misused his or her official position to influence the result of the elections, he/she should be liable to be proceeded under the law. “Districts in respect of which election schedule of local government elections has been issued, no transfer and posting of government officers and officials, including autonomous bodies, shall be made without prior approval of the commission until publication of the election result”, it said. The ECP barred holders of public offices from visiting any constituency for local government polls, unveiling any development scheme and canvassing for any candidate or political party. The ECP also issued a code of conduct to ensure that elections are conducted honestly, justly and fairly in accordance with law and corrupt practices are guarded. Similarly, ECP also announced LG polls in Balochistan which will be held on 29th June.
As per ECP schedule, apart from Quetta and Lasbela, local government elections are being held in 32 districts of Balochistan on 29th May. There are 838 union councils in 32 districts and 5345 rural wards and 914 urban wards, and with 7 municipal corporations and 49 municipal committees, said the notification. Commenting on delimitation process PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has said that they have decided to challenge the ECP delimitation process across the country and said that without census new delimitation would be violation of the constitution. Fawad alleged that commission is on mission to made electoral process controversial. Earlier, the ECP had announced holding of first phase of local bodies elections in Sindh on June 26.
