Let the polling begin: First phase of local govt elections today

16,266 polling stations have been set up for over 20.1 million voters

LAHORE:

The first phase of local government elections in the Punjab will commence on Saturday (today). Polling will be held in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Chakwal, Bhakkar, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Vehari and Bahawalnagar.

There are some 20.1 million registered voters in these districts. Some 16,266 polling stations have been set up across the province with 46,951 polling booths. As many as 3,551 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive and 8,300 sensitive.

Faisalabad has the highest number of polling stations (3,915). Some 3,269 polling stations have been set up in Lahore. All of them have been categorised either sensitive or highly sensitive. All polling stations in Chakwal and Vehari are also in these categories. Okara has only one polling station categorised normal. Lodhran has the lowest number of polling stations in the province (576).



Preparations in 12 districts complete for polling today. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS

There are 40,101 hopefuls for the seats of chairman, vice chairman and general members in their union councils. Among these, there are 124 women and 204 non-Muslims. Some 774 candidates have been elected unopposed.

Faisalabad has the highest number of contenders for local government seats with 7,909 candidates. In Lahore, there are 6,509 hopefuls; in Gujrat 3,444; in Chakwal 1,509; in Bhakkar 1,433 and in Nankana Sahib 1,451 candidates.

As many as 43 women are contesting from Lahore, more than in any other district. No woman is contesting from Bhakkar and Lodhran and no non-Muslims from Gujrat, Chakwal, Bhakkar and Okara.

All the districts, except Lahore, have district councils. Lahore alone has a metropolitan corporation. It also has no municipal committee. Faisalabad and Gujrat are the only districts that have district councils as well as municipal corporations. Chakwal, Bhakkar, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Vehari and Bahawalnagar have district councils but no municipal corporations.

Lahore has 274 union councils and neck-and-neck competition is expected between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The Pakistan Peoples Party is expected to do well in several UCs.

Polling will commence at 7:30am and end at 5:30pm.

Provincial Election Commissioner Masood Ahmed Malik held a meeting with representatives of political parties and asked them to ensure respect for the code of conduct. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told the meeting that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Court had been invoked to prohibit display of weapons.

Representatives of several political parties requested the election commissioner to ensure deployment of military personnel.

A statement issued by the Punjab Election Commissioner said political parties had requested that polling camps should be set up at least 400 yards from polling stations. The statement said MNAs or MPAs were not allowed to visit polling stations.

The statement said arrangements had been finalised and election materials and funds for remuneration for the polling personnel were available with the returning officers.

Monitoring women’s participation 

The Punjab Commission on the Status of Women will monitor the elections from women’s perspective to observe infringements, if any, on the political rights of women and incidents of election violence against women.

The commission has also requested women voters and candidates to call up 0321-4724161 in case of election related violence or any incident where women are deprived from exercising their political rights. They can also file a complaint on www.comp.pcsw.gov.pk.

All such incidents would be reported and referred to by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women to the Election Commission of Punjab. PCSW members and staff will observe polling stations in 12 districts where elections are being held on Saturday (today).  

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2015.