Election commissioners of Sindh, Punjab transferred

KARACHI: The election commissioners of the Sindh and Punjab provinces have been transferred besides appointing an acting officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Saturday.

Ejaz Anwar Chauhan has been appointed as the Sindh’s election commissioner once again, whereas, Saeed Gul, a Grade-21 officer, was appointed as the acting election commissioner of Punjab.

It may be noted here that an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) team led by Saeed Gul had conducted the inquiry of vote-rigging allegations in Daska polls.

Gul was earlier performing duties as the acting election commissioner of Sindh.

READ: ECP BANS ANNOUNCEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR 14 SINDH DISTRICTS

Moreover, Fareed Afridi, a Grade-20 officer, will look after election affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in the absence of Muhammad Razzaq.

In the latest reshuffle in the election commissioner, the Sindh’s acting EC Saeed Gul was transferred to Punjab. Ejaz Anwar Chohan has been transferred to Sindh who was earlier performing duties as ADG Monitoring in Islamabad.

In another development, the Balochistan chief secretary visited Turbat city of Kech district to attend a briefing on the local government (LG) polls and development programs.

The chief secretary said that all-out steps are being taken to organise the LG polls which will help to resolve the issues of the masses.

READ: ECP REJECTS PLEA FROM BALOCHISTAN GOVT TO POSTPONE LG POLLS

Earlier on April 14, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a schedule for the first phase of local government elections in Punjab. June 9 has been set as the polling day, a notification issued by the election monitoring body read.

The districts where LG polls will be held in the first phase include DG Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Khushab, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhelum and Attock.

According to the schedule, a public notice inviting nomination papers will be issued by returning officers on April 18, after which candidates will have five days’ time to file their papers.

A list of candidates will be published on April 26 and appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations could be filed before an appellate tribunal until May 12.

A revised list of candidates will be unveiled on May 16. They can withdraw their nominations until May 16. The ECP will allot election symbols on May 20 and the polling will be held on June 9.