ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Chief Election Commissioner Chief Justice (retd) Irshad Hasan Khan on Saturday announced March 28 as the date of by-elections to fill vacant seats of members, Union Nazims and Naib Nazims of the Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan.

In line with earlier decision of the government, the coming elections will be held on a separate electoral basis.

The election notification said that the Muslim candidates filing nomination papers for any of the seats in the by-elections will also be required to file a declaration that he or she is a firm believer in the finality of the holy Prophet (pbuh) and that he/she is neither a follower of a person who claims to be a prophet after the holy prophet (pbuh) nor consider such person as a prophet or does not belong to the Qadiani group or call himself/herself a Ahmedi.

According to the election schedule, the notice inviting nomination papers will be issued by returning officers on Feb 14 while the nomination papers will be received from March 3 to 4.

The list of nomination papers received will be published on March 5 while objections on the nominations will be received from March 6 to 7. Scrutiny of nomination papers and publication of names of validly nominated candidates will be done from March 8 to 9. March 3 has been fixed for appeals against acceptance/rejection of nomination papers. March 12 is the date for the disposal of all such appeals.

Disposal of appeals will be made on March 15 while the withdrawal of candidature is possible on March 16.

The final list of contesting candidates with election symbols allotted to them will be published on March 17 while the polling will be held on March 28.

The election results will be announced on March 31.