ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday announced the schedule for local government elections in 42 cantonments across the country and authorised returning officers (ROs) to exercise the powers of a first-class magistrate until the announcement of official results.

According to the schedule, ROs will issue notices inviting nomination papers on March 23 and receive nominations between March 29 and March 31. Nomination papers will be scrutinised from April 2 to April 4, while April 6 has been set as the last date for filing appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers, which should be disposed of by April 9.

Take a look: Returning officers appointed for Cantt board LG elections

April 9 will also be the last date for the withdrawal of candidature and a final list of candidates, along with their election symbols, will be published the following day. Polling will take place on April 25 and consolidated results will be announced by the returning officers on April 28.

Elections to be held on non-party basis

The ECP has directed that executive authorities in the federation and provinces will not use state resources in the election for the cantonment boards that may be construed as an attempt to influence the election in favour of a particular candidate.

If any person in government service misuses an official position in any manner to influence the results of the elections, the individual shall be liable to be proceeded against under Sec­tion 86 of the Cantonments Ordinance 2002.

The ECP has also banned all transfers and postings of civil servants appointed for the conduct of the elections without the commission’s prior approval until the publication of election results.

The prime minister, chief ministers, chairman and deputy chairman Senate, speakers and deputy speakers of the national and provincial assemblies, federal and provincial ministers, advisers to the PM and CMs and other holders of public office have been barred from visiting any cantonment board to announce development packages or campaign for any candidate or political party.

Public office holders have been warned that if they violate any provision of the election law or the instructions issued by the ECP, they shall be proceeded against in accordance with the law.

The commission announced that all its offices will remain open on all public holidays during the schedule period.

An ECP official told Dawn that a limit of Rs200,000 has been fixed for election expenses for each candidate under the law. He said after notification of the names of directly elected members, the ROs would call upon elected members of the board to elect members to represent special interest seats, including those for peasants, youths, workers, women and non-Muslims.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2015

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