ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalized all arrangements to hold second phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 18 districts on Thursday March 31.
According to ECP, all polling material including ballet papers, polling bags and polling staff will reach at their respect polling station today with full security. The distribution of polling material will start at 8:00am on Thursday in all 18 districts while the polling material will be disbursed from the Returning Officers.
Foolproof security measures have been adopted to maintain law and order during the polling process. All presiding officers will reach on Wednesday evening to establish polling stations and polling booths. The elections will be held in 65 tehsils of 18 districts.
The local bodies’ elections in the second phase are being held in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts.
In these 18 districts, total registered voters are 80, 57,474 out of which 44, 89,771 voters are male while 35, 67,703 are female voters. Out of total 6,176 polling stations, 1,246 are male and 1,164 are female polling stations while 3,766 are combined polling stations besides 11 improvised.
As many as 16,509 polling booths have been established out of which 9,218 are male and 7,291 are female polling booths. Out of these polling stations, 1,646 are declared most sensitive while 2,326 are sensitive therefore elaborate security arrangements have been made.
As many as 561 candidates are in the run for 65 tehsil seats, 12,980 for general seats, 2,668 for women seats, 6,451 for farmers/labourers seats, 5,213 for youth seats and 57 minorities seats. Similarly, 351 candidates have been elected unopposed on general seats, 533 candidates on women seats, 233 youth seats, 50 minorities seats and 151 labourers/farmers seats.
The Election Commission has arranged a series of awareness workshops with the assistance of press clubs and media to mobilise voters for local government elections.
Under the supervision of Deputy Director Local Government Elections, Muhammad Nasir Khan and Assistant Director Mustafa Jalal, a control room has been set up at the office of Provincial Election Commissioner Peshawar for quick resolution of election-related complaints.
Chief Election Commissioner, Secretary ECP and Special Secretary will personally supervise the election process. In the first phase, local government elections were held in 66 tehsils of 17 districts on December 19 in the province.
