RAWALPINDI: 5,823 vying for 2,275 seats in Pindi distt
By Baqir Sajjad Syed
RAWALPINDI, Aug 6: Seven panels for nazims and naib nazims of union councils (16 candidate) of Rawalpindi district are poised to be elected unopposed after completion of the nomination procedure and allocation of symbols, local election officials said here on Saturday.
However, the final decision about unopposed election of these seven panels is subject to decision of certain appeals against rejection of nominations being heard by Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench.
Decision in these cases are being expected by Monday. Another 5,823 candidates (5,346 if nazim and naib nazim’s candidature is taken as one) are in the run for 2,275 seats of 175 union councils.
This includes 477 joint nominations for the slots of nazims and naib nazims, 2,374 for general councillors, 748 for women, 1,126 male peasants/workers, 530 female peasants/workers and 91 for the seats reserved for minorities.
The candidates elected unopposed are 20 women councillors, two peasant (male), 57 peasant (female) and 33 minority councillors.
Elections would now be held for 168 seats of nazims and naib nazims, 700 general councillor, 329 seats reserved for women, 348 peasant/worker men, 288 peasant/worker women and 83 minority councillors. The remaining seats either remain vacant or candidates have been elected unopposed.
The seats that have remained vacant after the completion of the initial nomination process include a seat of women councillor, five of peasant (female) and 59 of minorities.
The statistics for the withdrawals are 433 general councillors, 36 women, 110 peasant (male), 35 peasant (female), 17 minorities and 142 joint nominations of nazims and naib nazims.
The total number of candidates, who filed their nominations for the 175 union councils’ seats of Rawalpindi district were 7,147 and if the nazim and naib nazim’s nomination were to be taken as one, since both are contesting as joint candidate, the number of nominations was 6,464.
Almost all political parties are involved in the polls under different names like Awam Dost (PPP), Al-Khidmat (MMA), Jamhooriat Nawaz (PML-N) and Roshan Khayal/Quaid-i-Azam Group (PML).
However, the contest is mainly going to be between the ruling PML and the opposition parties, most of which have made adjustments on a number of seats.
Rawalpindi district, eversince the last local bodies, has been an opposition stronghold.
