EC revises schedule for bye-polls in Pakistan
By Aziz Malik ‘Pakistan Times’ Federal Bureau Chief

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has again revised the schedule for bye-polls setting June 26, 2008 the new date for polling on 38 National and Provincial Assembly seats.

The constituencies for polling include eight National Assembly seats and 30 Provincial Assembly seats from Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan provinces.

In National Assembly seats five have been vacated by those who have won on more than one seats and election was terminated in two seats due to the death of candidates.

Secretary Election Commission, Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad stated that stages of schedule would now commence from the filing of nomination papers from May 8 to 13.

Dates for scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officers have been set for May 14 to 20, last date for filing of appeals against decisions of the Returning Officers on rejecting or accepting nomination papers would be May 24 and last date for deciding appeals by the Tribunals has been set for May 31.

Last date for withdrawal of candidature would be June 2, publication of revised list of candidates would be made the same day and polling would be held on June 26.

Giving details, the Secretary Election Commission said, the National Assembly constituencies of polling include NA-11 Mardan-III, NA-52 Rawalpindi-III, NA-55 Rawalpindi-VI, NA-119 Lahore-II, NA-123 Lahore-VI, NA-131 Sheikhupura-I, NA-147 Okara-V and NA-207 Larkana-cum-Shikarpur-cum-Kamber Shahdadkot (Old Larkana-IV).

For the provincial assemblies constituencies he mentioned were PP-10 Rawalpindi-X, PP-48 Bhakkar-II, PP-59 Faisalabad-IX, PP-70 Faisalabad-XX, PP-99 Gujranwala-IX, PP-107 Hafizabad-III, PP-118 Mandi Bahauddin-III, PP-124 Sialkot-IV, PP-141 Lahore-V, PP-154 Lahore-XVIII, PP-171 Nankana Sahib-II (Old Sheikhupura-X), PP-219 Khanewal-VIII, PP-229 Pakpattan-III, PP-243 D G Khan-IV, PP-258 Muzaffargarh-VIII, PP-277 Bahawalnagar-I and PP-295 Rahimyar Khan-XI as constituencies for Punjab Assembly.

In Sindh, the constituencies of polling include PS-30 Khairpur-II, PS-44 Mattiari-cum-Hyderabad (Old Hyderabad-II) and PS-62 Tharparkar-III and in NWFP Assembly the constituencies are PF-20 Charsadda-IV, PF-45 Abbottabad-II, PF-59 Battagram-I, PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II, PF-81 Swat-II, PF-91 Upper Dir-I and PF-92 Upper Dir-II.

From Balochistan province, the constituencies are PB-9 Pishin-II, PB-32 Jhal Magsi (Old Kacchi-III) and PB-44 Lasbela-I.

Dilshad clarified that candidates who have already filed nomination papers with the Returning Officers concerned by May 5, need not to file their nomination papers afresh.

However, the candidates who filed their nomination papers on May 6 will be required to file their nomination papers afresh within the time specified in the notifications for filing their nomination papers.

Of Nomination Papers

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has asked the candidates to file fresh nomination papers for the forthcoming bye-elections.

A spokesman of the Election Commission has again clarified that the candidates, who filed their nomination papers with the Returning Officers concerned on May 6 will be required to file their nomination papers afresh during the period from May 8 to 13.

The new date has been fixed for the purpose in the revised schedule for fresh elections/bye-elections issued by the Election Commission on May 7, the spokesman said.●