ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Elections to fill half of the vacant seats of 100-member Senate will be held on March 6. According to the election schedule announced by Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, the elections in four provinces, the Federal Capital and Fata will be held on March 6.

On Monday last, the election commission had appointed returning officers and polling officers to conduct the Senate elections being held to fill the seats, which will fall vacant on March 11, as a result of Jan 2 balloting.

Fifty senators from the federal capital, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP were declared retired during drawing of lots on Jan 2 in the Parliament House.

Secretary Election Commission Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad told reporters that candidates aspiring for the seat of Senator could file their nomination papers before the returning officers from Feb 11 to 13 during office hours. The office of the returning officers will remain open on Sunday (Feb 12) during office hours.

Scrutiny of nomination papers of candidates will be done on Feb 14 while appeals could be filed against rejection of nomination with the secretary election commission or members election commission from Feb 19 to 20.

Feb 21 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature and the list of contesting candidates will be published next day on Feb 22.

Polling will be held on March 6 between 9:00 am to 4 pm.

For Punjab, the polling will be held in Punjab Assembly building Lahore, for Sindh in the Sindh Assembly building Karachi, for NWFP, provincial assembly building Peshawar, for Balochistan, provincial assembly building Quetta and for the federal capital and Fata in the Parliament House Islamabad.