LAHORE, Aug 17: In the first phase of local polls, Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan districts have seen maximum political activity as the number of contestants there surpassed the candidates in the other 14 districts of the province.

The data complied by APP reveals that a total number of 7,357 candidates filed their nomination papers for different seats in 188 union councils in Gujranwala district. Of which, the papers of 374 candidates were rejected leaving 6,983 contestants in the field. As many as 644 candidates were contesting for the nazim and naib-nazim slots, the highest number contesting for the slots in a district.

Rahim Yar Khan has been ranked second, where 6,830 contestants filed their nomination papers in 122 union councils, of which 262 were rejected. This leaves 6,568 candidates in the run, including 427 for nazim and naib-nazim slots.

Multan remained third in the ranking, where 5,959 candidates had filed their papers for 129 union councils, of which 216 were rejected. So, 5,743 candidates will contest the election, of whom 426 are in the field for the nazim and naib-nazim seats.