PESHAWAR, April 14: Elections for a National Assembly and seven provincial assembly seats will be held in the NWFP on June 3.

According to the election schedule issued by the chief election commissioner on Monday, by-elections will be held for a National Assembly, NA-11 Mardan-III, and four provincial assembly constituencies -- PF-20 Charsadda-IV, PF-45 Abottabad-II, PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II and PF-91 Upper Dir-I.

Similarly, fresh elections will be held for filling three seats of provincial assembly -- PF-59 Battagram-I, PF-81 Swat-II and PF-92 Upper Dir-II -- as polling could not be held there during Feb 18 polls due to death of contesting candidates.

Two of the candidates -- former provincial minister, Haji Muhammad Ayaz Khan from Battagram and ex-MPA, Fareed Khan of Upper Dir -- had expired due to natural causes, whereas former provincial minister Asfandyar Ameerzaib of Swat died in a bomb explosion.The lone National Assembly seat in the NWFP on which by-election would be held in Mardan was vacated by Abdul Akber Khan, who decided to retain his provincial assembly seat.

The provincial assembly seat of PF-20 was vacated by former federal minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, who has retained his national assembly seat. Mr Sherpao had won the said seat from Taimur Khan of ANP with a thin margin of 84 votes.

Similarly, the provincial assembly seat of PF-45 Abbottabad was vacated by federal minister Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan who has retained his National Assembly seat. The provincial assembly constituency of PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II was vacated by Anwer Saifullah Khan who had won two provincial assembly seats. He won as independent candidate and later on joined PPP.

The remaining provincial assembly seat of PF-91 Upper Dir fell vacant when the PPP federal minister Najmuddin Khan decided to retain his National Assembly seat.

According to the schedule issued by the CEC, the filing of nomination papers would commence from April 15 and will continue till Apr 21. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held from Apr 22 till Apr 28. The last date for filing of appeals against decisions of returning officers will be May 2 and the appellate tribunal would decide these appeals till May 9. Polling will be held on June 3.

Meanwhile, by-elections to fill three vacant general seats in the Senate from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and NWFP will be held on May 3 and May 6, respectively.