ECP releases schedule for by-elections

By-polls to be held in eight wards of four cantt boards

RAWALPINDI:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released its schedule for by-elections to be held in eight wards of four cantonments boards. Polling for the by-elections will be held on February 9, 2022. Elections could not be held earlier in these eight wards of four cantonments along with polling conducted on September 12, 2021, in which elections were supposed to be held in 42 cantonment boards across the country.

However, the elections were postponed due to the death of a female candidate in Rawalpindi Cantonment Ward 2. According to the new election schedule, the election will be held on February 9 in ward 2 of Kamra Cantt of Rawalpindi cantonment. Elections will also be held for wards 1 to 5 and ward 7 of Walton cantonment and ward 2 of Pannu Aqil cantonment on the same day. Nomination papers will be issued from January 3, 2022 and collected between January 10 and 13.

The cantonment executive officers will serve as the returning officers (ROs) for the cantonment by-elections while district and sessions judges will be serving as district returning officers. The final list of candidates will be released on January 27. The code of conduct already issued for the candidates will be in force for the byelections.

An election cell has been set up in Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) headed by Secretary to CEO Qaiser Mahmood. The list of electoral candidates will be posted on January 14. Nomination papers will be scrutinised from January 15 to 18. The revised list of candidates will be posted on January 25 after hearing the objections and appeals on the posted list of candidates from January 20 to 24. Candidates will be able to withdraw their nomination papers on January 26 and the final list of candidates will be posted on January 27 accorded with election symbols.

Polling will be held on February 9 from 8am to 5pm. Provisional results will be released on the same day, while final results by returning officers will be released on February 12.