Local government by-polls after Eidul Fitr: ECP official

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan has said by-polls for local government will be conducted after Eidul Fitr on more than 4,000 village and neighbourhood councillor seats, four district and one tehsil councillor seats.

The schedule for the polls will be announced in the coming week, an ECP official requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune on Tuesday. “Of the count, more than 2,000 seats for non-Muslim were left uncontested after the local government elections on May 30.”

However, added the official, four district and one tehsil seats will be polled again, where elected candidates have either died or were disqualified.

When asked, the official said re-elections would be held in those polling stations where irregularities and mismanagement were noted and respective returning officers submitted their applications regarding issues.

Moreover, maintained the official, 92 election tribunals have been set up across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and "they will start functioning after official notification is issued". District and sessions judges and additional district and sessions judges will see the grievance petitions which should be submitted by candidates within 20 days of the notification.