ECP starts scrutiny process of nomination papers for Senate elections

National and provincial assemblies will be polling for Senate elections 2021 on March 3

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday started the scrutiny process of nomination papers filed for the upcoming Senate elections.

The national and provincial assemblies will be holding polling for Senate elections on March 3, as per the schedule released by the ECP.

About 170 candidates have filed their nomination papers with the ECP out of which 29 are from Punjab, 39 from Sindh, 51 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 41 from Balochistan and 10 from the federal capital.

The scrutiny process would continue till tomorrow.

The candidates can also file appeals against acceptance or rejection of their nomination papers on February 20 whereas February 23 is the last date for disposing of these appeals.

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The ECP will publish the revised list of the candidates on February 24 whereas a candidate can withdraw his/her nominations papers by February 25

On February 11, it was reported that Senate polling will be held between 9 am to 5 pm.

Election Commission Secretariat for Islamabad Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal Hussain, Punjab Provincial Election Commissioner Ghulam Israr Khan, Sindh Provincial Election Commissioner Ejaz Anwar Chauhan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Provincial Election Commissioner Sharifullah and Balochistan Provincial Election Commissioner Muhammad Raziq were notified as the returning officers.

It should be noted that 52 senators will retire on March 11; however, elections will be held for 48 Senate seats. Thus, the number of members of the upper house will become 100.

Elections for the Senate will be based on proportional representation and a single transferable vote.

The decision of secret or open voting will be taken after the decision of the reference pending in the Supreme Court (SC).

Polling will be held in Punjab and Sindh for 11 seats each, Balochistan and K-P for 12 seats each and Islamabad for two seats.