Paper submission phase for K-P polls concludes

873 candidates in the fray for 65 tehsil mayor seats

PESHAWAR:

Around 873 candidates have submitted nomination papers for 65 tehsil mayor and chairman seats in the 18 districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in the second phase of local government polls.

A press release issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) says that in 1,830 village and neighobourhood councils there are 15,366 candidates on general seats, 3,488 on women seats, 7,016 on mazdoor kisan seats, 6,006 on youth seats and 120 on minority seats.

The first phase of submitting nomination papers is over while the scrutiny phase will start from February 21 (Monday).

As per the press release the process of scrutiny will continue till February 23 and all the returning officers will decide the acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers during the office hours in their districts.

During the security process the candidates and those who verified their papers could also be involved. Candidates could appeal to the appellate tribunal against the decision of the Returning Officer (RO).

Appeals could be submitted against the rejection of nomination papers from February 24 to 26.

Elections are being held in 18 districts of K-P, including four newly merged districts of Orakzai, Kurram, South and North Waziristan. It is for the first time in history that these four districts would elect local governments. Of the 18 districts seven are from Hazara division and as many from Malakand division.

Polling is scheduled for March 31, 2022. The ECP has finalized all the arrangements.

It is worth noting here that on February 9, the Supreme Court suspended a decision of the Abbottabad bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) that had ordered postponement of the second phase of the local government elections in K-P.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ayesha Malik, announced the decision after hearing a petition filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The court also issued notices to all the parties involved.

Earlier in the month, the Abbottabad bench postponed the second phase of the local government elections, which had been scheduled for March 27. The court had directed the polls supervisor to hold the elections after the holy month of Ramazan, keeping in view the inclement weather forecast for the next month.

During the hearing, ECP’s lawyer informed the court that the elections were postponed in all 18 districts, while the plea in the court had sought postponement only in five districts. The bench was also informed that the PHC postponed the elections without listening to the ECP’s stance.

The ECP lawyer further stated that the notice for the hearing in the PHC on February 1 was received on February 2. By the time the notice was received by the ECP, the PHC had already postponed the local bodies elections, the lawyer added.

Justice Malik maintained that the PHC should have heard the ECP’s position before giving its verdict. She further observed that it was not certain that weather conditions in K-P would hinder the electoral process.

Justice Ahsan stated that the report of the Meteorological Department was supposed to be reviewed by the ECP and not by the court. He further asked why the PHC was in such a “hurry” to make its decision.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2022.