Balochistan LG polls: Submission of forms concludes

Provincial election commissioner says poll body faces many challenges due to shortage of time.

QUETTA:

The submission of nomination papers for Balochistan’s local government elections concluded on Saturday.

As many as 1,179 candidates submitted their nomination papers for the 134 seats of Quetta. Another 435 candidates filed their application for nine union councils, urban areas, and 744 for 58 wards, rural areas.

“We do not have much time; therefore we are facing lots of challenges,” said Balochistan Election Commissioner Syed Sultan Bayazid as the first phase of the electoral process came to an end. Saturday was set as the last day for the submission of papers after the date was extended. Friday (November 8) had earlier been marked as the deadline for submission.



The party-based elections, which are likely to take place on December 7, will be held at Quetta, four municipal corporations and 54 municipal committees – district councils. Quetta is a metropolitan corporation while Khuzdar, Qilla Abdullah, Kech and Pishin have been given the status of municipal corporations.

All other districts, he said, would remain District Councils. He added that Balochistan would be divided into 7,078 general wards. “Each union council will comprise at least seven and maximum 15 wards,” he added.



The deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner city, assistant commissioner Sadder, additional commissioner revenue and district education officer have been appointed as returning officers in Quetta.

The provincial election commissioner said the electoral body expected that approximately 3.3 million people would use their right to vote.

Election authorities also announced that candidates contesting in the polls could spend up to Rs30, 000 on their campaigns. “Law and order will be a big issue during the local government elections,” he said, adding that the timely printing ballot paper was also a challenge.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2013.