LG polls: 786 candidates elected unopposed in Balochistan

Phase two is to be held later this month

QUETTA: Some 786 candidates – out of a total 1,486 reserved seats – have been elected unopposed in the second phase of Balochistan’s local government (LG) elections for the reserved seats of peasants and workers, Balochistan Election Commissioner Sultan Bayazid told The Express Tribune.

Voting for the LG polls’ second phase is scheduled to take place on December 31.

“As many as 378 peasants and 390 workers have been elected unopposed; while no candidates have submitted nomination papers at 105 seats, including 50 seats for peasants’ and 55 for workers,” he said.



“These seats are located in the insurgency hit Panjgur, Turbat and Awaran districts,” he added.

He said on December 31, election will be held at 613 seats – including 315 peasants’ and 298 workers’ seats – adding that 1,482 candidates are contesting elections.

“All the preparations have been completed. The last phase of the polls –election of chairman, deputy chairman and mayor of Quetta will take place by the end of January 2015,” he added.

The completion of the second phase of the LG polls will make Balochistan the first province to have a fully functional local government system since the last one expired in 2009.

The first phase of the election was held on December 7, 2013. However, due to litigation on the amended LG law, the second phase of the polls was delayed.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2014.