One-fourth decline in number of candidates

11,855 candidates in final run for 2018 elections compared to 15,629 in 2013

ISLAMABAD: Relatively strict rules and better scrutiny has led to an overall one-fourth decline in the number of candidates in the final list for the July 25 general elections compared to last general elections held in May 2013.

The list compiled by the election authorities and sent to printing presses to print ballot papers shows that a total of 11,855 candidates are in the run this time compared to 15,629 contesting 2013 general elections. This is nearly a 24 per cent overall decline due to various reasons.

A total of 21,482 candidates had filed nominations across country-among them 5,473 had filed nomination papers for national assembly’s 272 general seats and 13,693 filed nominations for 577 general seats in all the provincial assemblies.

After scrutiny and withdrawal, almost half of them were knocked out of the race. The new election laws also changed criteria for the enlistment of political parties. There had been more than 350 parties enlisted with ECP when parliament passed The Elections Act, 2017. Its conditions reduced the number of parties enlisted with ECP to 110.

Similarly, the fee deposit, which was only Rs4,000 for national assembly candidates, was enhanced to Rs30,000, and for provincial assembly candidates, it went from Rs2,000 to Rs20,000, which may also have discouraged unserious contenders.

Election laws stipulate that if a candidate gets less than one-fourth of the total number of votes polled in a constituency, the fee deposit is forfeited.

According to statistics shared by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are 287 candidates on 16 general seats of national assembly from Balochistan. Another 16 are in the run for four reserved women’s seats from the province in the National Assembly.



In the 2013 elections, there were a total of 284 candidates running for 14 general seats. Two new seats have been added to the provincial quota on the basis of last year’s census.

Meanwhile, there are a total of 725 candidates in the run for 39 K-P and 12 Fata seats in the National Assembly. Another 35 candidates are in the run for nine women reserved seats in K-P. In the 2013 elections, 517 candidates contested on 35 general seats while another 339 were in the run on 12 Fata seats in the National Assembly.

There are a total of 1,623 candidates in the final list for 141 general seats in Punjab and three ICT seats, while another 73 are contesting on 33 seats reserved for women. In the last general elections, 2,367 candidates were running on 148 general seats.

Similarly, in Sindh, 824 candidates are in the run for 61 general seats, compared to 1,087 in the 2013 general seats. 48 candidates have filed nominations for 14 women reserved seats.

There are a total of 44 candidates in the run for 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims in the national assembly. Reserved seats for women and non-Muslims are allocated to political parties proportionate to the number of general seats they win.

Provincial assemblies

A drastic decline in the number of candidates was also seen in the provincial assemblies, except in Balochistan where there was a marginal decline.

For the Balochistan Assembly’s 51 general seats, there are a total of 943 candidates, compared to 953 in the final list in 2013. Another 42 candidates are in the run for 11 seats reserved for women and 22 candidates will be contesting for three reserved minorities seats.



In K-P, there are a total of 1,165 candidates in the run for 99 general seats. There were 1,438 candidates in the 2013 elections. For K-P’s 22 women’s reserved seats there are 79 candidates and for the three minorities seats, there are 20 candidates.

In Punjab, 4,036 candidates are in the final run for 297 general seats. In the last general elections, 5,758 candidates had contested on general seats in the province. On 66 women reserved seats 174 contestants are in the run, while 32 candidates are in the run for eight non-Muslim reserved seats in the provincial assembly.

In the Sindh Assembly, for 130 general seats, 2,252 candidates are in the run this time compare to 2,809 in the last general elections. Another 91 candidates are in the run for 29 women reserved seats and 39 on nine minorities seats in the provincial assembly.