28 March 2004	Sunday	06 Safar 1425

QUETTA, March 27: All is set for holding by-elections on 244 vacant seats of 73 union councils in the 22 out 26 districts of Balochistan on Sunday. Around 500 candidates have filed their nomination papers on these vacant seats.

The provincial Election Commissioner of Balochistan, Nasreen Pervez, told a press conference here on Saturday that polling for by-election in Quetta district would be held on April 7 while April 9 has been fixed for Tehsil Wadh polling.

She said that all seats in three districts of Balochistan including Dera Bugti, Awaran and Kharan have already been filled uncontested. "In all over the province 754 candidates have been elected unopposed," she said, adding that 647 seats of union councils in different areas of the province were still vacant as no candidate has filed nomination papers for these seats.

She said that initially the Election Commission had announced schedule for election on 1,827 seats in 427 union councils. Replying to a question, she said that the date for holding election in Quetta was changed due to the situation created in the city after Quetta killings while in Wadh tehsil the new date was fixed as earlier election was cancelled in the area.

She said that 348 polling stations have been set up with 1,754 polling booths for election in 73 union councils while 4,049 polling staff was also appointed in the province.

Responding to a question, she said that all arrangements have been completed in the province for holding elections. As far as the security arrangements are concerned, the districts government are responsible for these arrangements.