KARACHI, Aug 26: With the completion of direct election process of union councils in the country, stage is set for indirect elections of nazims and naib nazims of the city district governments, the towns and the talukas and formation of their respective councils.

This process, which would be initiated in the third phase of the local government elections-2005, will begin from Sept 29 when nominations would be invited to elect the nazims and naib nazims and council members on reserved seats of women, workers and peasants and minorities.

The Karachi City District Council will have 255 members. All 178 union council nazims would be its councillors by virtue of their office while 59 women, nine peasants and workers and nine minorities councillors would be elected by the electoral college based on all members of the 178 union councils, including their nazims and naib nazims.

Any citizen having his name on the electoral college of Karachi city district is eligible to contest the most after-sought office of the city district nazim. His electoral college will have 2,304 members from 178 union councils of Karachi.

However, for the post of naib nazim of the city government, only a member of the house is eligible to contest who would be elected in the first session of the House.

The electoral college would also elect 59 women members being 33 per cent of 178 and nine members each for peasants and workers and minority seats being five per cent of the 178 UCs.