LAHORE, Nov 10: Chief Election Commissioner Justice Irshad Hasan Khan (retired) has said the forthcoming local government elections will be held in phases according to past practice.

He was speaking at a conference on the conduct of forthcoming local elections and public awareness on gender democracy at the Lahore campus of the Federal Election Academy on Wednesday.

The CEC said he would consider the desirability of making permanent all polling stations, established in state owned buildings. A list of such polling stations would be published in the official gazette.

Any subsequent change would be subject to notice to all the contesting candidates from the constituency and fair hearing to them by the district returning officer concerned. The election commission member concerned or the chief election commissioner would hear appeals against the decision of the district officer.

Justice Khan urged all citizens of 18 years of age or above to register their names as voters in the electoral rolls which were being revised for the conduct of local elections. The last date for registration of voters is December 31.

The CEC said the primary focus of the public awareness campaign was to ensure increased participation of women in the local elections.

He appealed to the civil society organizations, especially the NGOs, to come forward and play their due role in persuading citizens, particularly women, to register themselves as voters and also exercise their right to vote on the polling day.

Election Commission secretary K. M. Dilshad also spoke at the conference participated in by Justice Nasim Sikandar of the Lahore High Court, the provincial election commissioners of the Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP, Balochistan and senior officers of the commission.