PESHAWAR, Aug 7: Some 470 seats, including 366 for minorities and 103 for women, have been left uncontested in the first phase of local government polls in the NWFP’s 12 districts.

Out of the 103 uncontested women seats, 72 have been reserved for female peasants and workers, according to the provincial election commissioner.

Sixty-eight seats have been left vacant in Mardan and Swabi districts.

In Mardan district, nine seats have been reserved for women and 59 reserved for minorities, while in Swabi district 20 seats have been reserved for women and 48 for minorities.

As many as 61 offices have been left uncontested in Peshawar district of which 20 were reserved for females and 41 for minorities while in Nowshera district the numbers of the vacant seats are 35 of which four were reserved for women and 31 for minorities.

The number of vacant seats in Kohat district is 36 including 12 for women and 24 for minorities and this number is 22 in Karak district where two seats reserved for women and 20 reserved for minorities have been left vacant.

A total of 64 seats had been left uncontested in Bannu district where no candidate came forward to contest elections for 20 seats reserved for females and 44 for that of minorities whereas in Dera Ismail Khan district 30 seats left uncontested had been reserved for minorities.

Tank district has been left with 14 vacant seats, all reserved for minorities while in Haripur district there were eight vacant seats including four reserved for women and four for minorities.

Similarly, out of 18 vacant seats of Buner district, nine have been reserved for women and minorities. —APP