Independent candidates given deadline to choose parties

ECP tells parties, candidates to formally inform it within three days

PESHAWAR: All those who have been formally notified of winning last weekend’s elections in the newly-merged districts have been directed by the top poll body to choose within three days any parties they wish to join.

This was directed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chapter on Tuesday.

“The winning candidates can formally inform the ECP regarding their decision [to join a political party] under Rule 92 (6) of Election Rules 2017,” the poll body said in a statement on Tuesday.

The leader of the political party, which the independent candidate joins, will also have to formally inform the ECP about the candidate joining them. In this regard, the independent candidate will have to file an affidavit stating they are joining a particular party. This letter, the apex election body said, must reach ECP’s office within three days of the official announcement of results.

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As many as six independent candidates had managed to secure seats, including against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of the 16 seats up for grabs in the July 20 elections. The PTI bagged five seats, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) took three seats. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Awami National Party (ANP) secured one seat each.

High turnout

Meanwhile, the ECP has expressed its satisfaction with the turnout of female voters in the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata) elections, adding that participation of all stakeholders in the electoral process bodes a good omen for strengthening democracy in the country.

It further noted that there was a significant increase in female participation in some constituencies.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the ECP confirmed that overall turned out of polled votes was 26.27% where male turnout was 31.44% and women turnout was 18.63%. For polled votes, the ratio was 71.3% for men and 28.6% for women.

The highest turnout of women voters was witnessed in PK-109 Kurram-II where the turnout was 44.5%. This was even higher than the turnout in Chitral during July 2018 general elections.

Provincial Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmed said it strongly reflected the trust of all stakeholders in the electoral process. He added that holding elections in the newly-merged tribal districts was a challenge which was successfully met.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2019.