ECP issues schedule for by-elections, voting on Oct 14

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued the schedule for by-elections on vacant seats of the National and provincial assemblies.

According to details, the voting for 37 seats – 11 of the National Assembly and 26 of the provincial assemblies – will be held on October 14.

A number of the National and provincial assemblies’ seats fell vacant after political leaders who had won more than one seats in last month’s elections resigned from all seats but one.

There are also a few constituencies of the lower house of parliament as well as the provincial legislatures where the election couldn’t be held on July 25 owing to the demise of candidates or some other reasons.

As per the ECP schedule for by-elections, assembly aspirants will have to file their nomination papers between August 28 and 30 after which a final list of candidates will be issued on Aug 31.

Scrutiny of their papers will be conducted on September 4 while appeals challenging acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filled by Sept 8.

The election tribunals will be required to decide these appeals until Sept 13 after which a revised list of candidates will be issued the next day.

Candidates who will wish to withdraw from the electoral race can do so by Sept 15 while those taking part in the by-elections will be allotted symbols on Sept 16.