Candidates to get election symbols today

Deadline to withdraw nomination papers ends

RAWALPINDI:

Election symbols will be allocated to all political parties and independent candidates contending for seven national and 14 provincial seats in the Rawalpindi district on Saturday.

With the allotment of election symbols, all necessary steps will be completed, except polling for the general elections scheduled for February 8.

The final list of candidates is set to be sent for the printing of ballot papers next week. After January 13, candidates can only retire from the race but cannot withdraw their nomination papers.

Currently, 360 contenders are vying for 14 provincial seats, and 174 candidates competing for seven national seats in the Rawalpindi district. All political parties have put forth candidates for each seat.

Read: Imran out of election race as rejection of nomination papers upheld

Former provincial minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, who jumped the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ship to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan party, is no longer in the election race.

A total of 270 candidates for seven national seats and 652 candidates for 14 provincial seats submitted their nomination papers. After scrutiny, the papers of 66 candidates for National Assembly seats and 149 candidates for provincial seats were rejected, all belonging to the embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The returning officers have reduced the total number of candidates from 270 to 204 in National Assembly constituencies and from 652 to 503 in provincial constituencies.

Most appeals in the election tribunals were approved, allowing candidates excluded by the returning officers to reenter the election race. Out of 165 filed appeals, 103 were approved, 56 were rejected, and six were returned. Subsequently, the number of candidates increased again after the withdrawal of papers.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2024.