LAHORE: Around 40,000 aspirants are in the run for various local government offices, from chairpersons and vice-chairpersons to general councilors to non-Muslim and women seats– in the first phase of local council elections scheduled to be held in 12 districts of Punjab on October 31.

The districts holding the first phase include Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Chakwal, Bhakkar, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Vehari and Bahawalnagar.

For 275 union councils of Lahore, 1,149 are contesting for chairperson and vice-chairperson (joint candidates) while four of the slots have been filled unopposed.

Among women contestants, seven are for chairperson and three for vice chairperson, according to data available with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Twelve panels of non-Muslims are also in the run.

At least 5,902 are contesting for general councillor, of them 33 are women, while 64 have already been elected unopposed. Thirty-three women and 78 non-Muslims are also in the field.

In the remaining 11 districts, 12 panels of chairpersons and vice chairpersons have been elected unopposed, while 4,500 are in the run. Another 19,213 are candidates for general councilors.

For union councils in municipality corporations of Faisalabad and Gujrat, 658 panels of chairpersons and vice chairpersons (among them 10 women and 14 of non-Muslims) are contesting, while 3,148 are hopefuls as general councillors. As many as 101 have been elected unopposed.

In wards of municipal committees of remaining districts, 5,531 are in the field as general members, while 21 have been elected unopposed.

Overall in all 12 districts, 102 women and 156 non-Muslims are contesting as general councilors.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2015

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