ECP issues schedule for by-polls on 31 more NA seats

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued the schedule for election on 31 additional National Assembly seats, setting March 19 as the by-polls date, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to the schedule issued by the ECP, Public notice will be issued by the Returning officer on Feb 8. The nomination papers for the by-polls can be filed from February 10 to 14 and the names of the nominated candidates will be published on February 15, the ECP added in its notification.

The last date for scrutiny of nomination papers by Returning Officer will be Feb 18 and the last date for filing appeals against decisions of returning officers rejecting/accepting the nomination papers on Feb 22.

The last date for deciding the appeals by the appellate tribunal is Feb 27 and publication of a revised list of candidates will be Feb 28.

The notification adds that date of withdrawal of candidates and publication of the revised list is March 1. ECP will allocate the election symbol to the candidate on March 2 and 19th March will be the polling day.        

The constituencies where by-elections will be held include: NA-02 and NA-3 Swat, NA-5, NA-6 and NA-7 Lower Dir, Na-8 Malakand, Na-9 Buner, NA-16 Abbottabad, NA-19 Swabi, NA-20 Mardan, NA-28 Peshawar, NA-30 Peshawar, NA-34 Karak, NA-40 Bajaur, NA- 42 Mohmand, NA-44 Khyber, NA- 61 Rawalpindi, NA-70 Gujrat, NA- 87 Hafizabad, NA-93 Khushab, NA-96 Mianwali, NA-107 Faisalabad, NA- 109 Faisalabad, NA-135 Lahore, NA-150 Khanewal, NA-152 Khanewal,

NA-158 Multan, NA-164, NA-165 Vehari, NA-177 Rahim Yar Khan and NA- 187 Layyah.  

The seats had fallen vacant after the speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, accepted 31 more resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers last month.

The speaker accepted the resignation in two parts followed by their de-notification by the ECP, taking the total number of those de-notified in this month to 113, including 86 members elected on general seats, 23 on reserved seats for women, and four on reserved seats for religious minorities.