KARACHI, July 27: Returning officers of the five zones in Karachi accepted 76 of a total of 113 appeals filed against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers.
Wednesday was the last day for the disposal of appeals filed by candidates against rejections or acceptance of nomination papers submitted for the first phase of local government elections to be held on Aug 18.
According to the election schedule for the August 18 polling, candidates may withdraw their nominations by Thursday. The final list of the candidates will be published on Friday.
The details of the fate of appeals indicated that in Karachi Central, where a total of 27 appeals were filed against rejection of nominations, the ROs had accepted 19 appeals whereas eight were rejected.
In Karachi South, where only eight appeals were filed against rejection of nomination papers, all appeals were accepted by the ROs. In the South Zone of Karachi all nomination papers were accepted.
In Malir, where nine appeals were filed against rejection of nomination papers, four appeals were accepted and five rejected. In this zone another appeal, which was against the acceptance of a nomination, was also rejected.
In Karachi West, where 38 appeals were filed, 17 were accepted and 21 rejected.
In Karachi East, where 30 appeals were filed the ROs accepted 28 appeals while one was withdrawn and one appeal was rejected.
The results of appeals filed in the other 10 districts of Sindh, where elections are scheduled in the first phase, were not available till the filing of this report.
Sources close to the EC said that after decisions on appeals in Karachi Central the number of candidates were 2,059 against the total of 546 seats, including that of nazims and naib nazims in 42 UCs.
In Karachi South, the total number of candidates whose forms were found correct were 1,633 against the total seats of 351 of the 27 UCs.
In Karachi West, nomination papers of 2,765 candidates were accepted against 546 seats in the 42 UCs and in Karachi East the total number of candidates whose papers were accepted were 2,462 against 598 seats in 46 UCs. Likewise, in Malir the total number of candidates whose papers were accepted were 1,720 against 273 seats in 21 UCs.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the EC has denotified all those eight election symbols allotted to major political parties in the parliamentary elections.
The symbols which will not be allotted to any candidate in the local government elections are: axe, bat, bicycle, book, kite, lantern, rose and wheel.
