KARACHI, June 6: The stage is set for Monday's by-elections for the five vacant seats of nazims and naib nazims of three union councils of Karachi and one of Dadu. The polling will be held from 8am to 5pm without any break.

In all, there are 18 candidates in the run. For the four seats (two nazims and two naib nazims) of Karachi UCs, a total of 16 candidates are in the fray. In the light of the experience during previous by-elections for four National Assembly and two Sindh Assembly seats, the Election Commission has taken special measures to ensure peaceful and transparent polling process.

Army has been deployed on sensitive spots in the city and polling stations to assist police and Rangers in maintaining law and order. The EC has also decided to implement its decisions, with regard to possible interference or influence, in letter and spirit.

Entry of any unconcerned person, including ministers, advisers and legislators, into the vicinity of a polling station would be prohibited. According to rules, all eligible voters in the union council where by-election is being held, will exercise right to franchise.

The contest in UC-3 Azam Basti has become interesting as there are five candidates, two of them from minority communities, in the run for the slot of naib nazim. However, in UC-2 Manzoor Colony, situation is reported to be tense.

For the seat of nazim in UC-2 Firdaus Colony, Liaquatabad Town, Qazi Ahmad, Ali Asghar, Daud Khan, Aftab Hussain Khawaja and Asif are in the contest. In UC-2 Manzoor Colony, Jamshed Town, by-election is being held for the slots of nazim and naib nazim, contested by three candidates each.

Mohammad Zamir Ahmad, Muhammad Sahrif and Abdul Rashid are vying for the seat of nazim whereas Mohammad Farooq, Muhammad Hanif and Abdul Aziz for the office of naib nazim.

In UC-3 Azam Basti, Jamshed Town, by-poll is being held for the seat of naib nazim, to be contested by Mohammad Tariq, Mohammad Azhar Naseem, Naeem Raz, Arif Khokhar and Tahir Jamil. In UC Faridabad, Dadu district, by-election is being held for the seat of naib nazim between Abdul Ghafoor and Riaz Hussain.