LB polls to be held in three phases, to be started from Aug 18

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hammed Dogar has said that the Local Bodies polls would be transparent, free and independent and action would be taken against candidates using state machinery.

Addressing a crowded press conference at the Election Commission while announcing the Local Bodies Polls schedule the CEC said the Election Commission has completed all arrangements in this regard in which 62.6 million registered voters would elect their representatives for 6,040 Union Councils through out the country.

List of polling stations have been finalized and it has been proposed that 62,447 polling stations would be set up with 2,08,217 polling booths in 11o districts of the country.

Announcing the schedule for the local bodies polls he said the elections would be held in three phases.

Elections for nazims, naib nazims and members of 54 union councils would be held on August 18 in Gujranwala city district, Sialkot, Sargodha, Khushab, Multan city district, Lodhran, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan in Punjab; Karachi city district, Thatha, Tando Allah Yar, Ghotki, Naushero Feroze, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar and Tharparkar in Sindh; Peshawar city district, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, D I Khan, Tank, Haripur and Buner in NWFP; and Khuzdar, Mastung, Awaran, Pishin, Noshki, Sibi, Ziarat, Bolan, Naseerabad, Jaferabad, Killa Saifullah, Barkhan and Gwadar in Balochistan.

On August 18, polling for nazims, naib nazims and members of 56 union councils would be held in Rawalpindi city district, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mianwali, Bhakar, Faisalabad city district, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Lahore city district, Sheikhupura, Nakana Sahib, Kasur and Okara in Punjab; Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, Dadu, Matiari, Jamshoro, Badin, Sukkur, Khairpur, Nawabshah, Larkana, Shahdad Kot and Shikarpur in Sindh; Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Swat, Shangla, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral and Malakand in NWFP; and Kalat, Washuk, Lasbela, Jhal Magsi, Quetta city district, Dera Bugti, Killa Abdullah, Chagai, Kohlu, Loralai, Zhob, Musakhel, Kech and Panjgur in Balochistan.

In the third phase of local body polls, election would be held on September 29 for zila nazim of district/ city district, tehsil/ Taluka nazim, a town nazim for each tehsil/ Taluka or town, and members of zila council and each tehsil/ Taluka council or town council against the seats reserved for women, peasants/ workers and minority communities across the country.

The nomination papers for the purpose would be invited on September 3, received from September 5 to 7 and scrutinized from September 10.

The candidates could withdraw their papers before September 14 and the lists of the contesting candidates would be published on September 15.

Polling would be held on September 29 and results would be announced on October 1.

For first phase, the nomination papers would be invited on July 16, received from July 18 to 20 and scrutinized from July 23 and July 24. The withdrawal of candidature would be possible before July 28 and the lists of the contesting candidates would be published on July 29.

Polling would be held on August 18 and results would be declared on August 20.

For second phase, the nomination papers would be invited on July 23, received from July 25 to 27 and scrutinized on July 30 and July 31. The withdrawal of candidature would be possible before August 4 and the lists of the contesting candidates would be published on August 5, he said.

Polling would be held on August 25 and results would be declared on August 27.

CEC told that the local government elections would be held on non party basis. He said any violators of the elections laws and code of conduct would be dealt with accordingly.

Provincial governments have been directed to ensure proper maintenance of law and order during pre and post polling period particularly on the polling day,

He said governments servants would not be allowed to contest the election while MNA, MPA and Ministers could participate in the polls. However they would have to resign from their posts after winning the of elections.

He said the local bodies polls in Islamabad would be announced at a later time.

With regards to polls in Karachi he said the summoning of army in Karachi has not been decided yet and help from the large number of police and agencies personal would be taken for maintaining law and order situation in Karachi.

Concluding he requested the media to come forward and extend their cooperation to make their task a success.