KARACHI: The Sindh government has notified number of seats reserved for women, youth, labourers /peasants and non-Muslims who will be elected by members of the local government institutions after taking their oath on Thursday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday fixed Jan 14 for administration of oath to the elected representatives in their respective districts by judicial / presiding officers who had been nominated by the commission through a letter dated Jan 7. However, schedule of the election for the reserved seats will be announced later by the commission.

According to a notification of the Sindh local government department, 1,744 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen with 9,430 general members were directly elected in the local government polls last year. These members will elect 4,159 women and 1,801 members to each category of seats reserved for youth, labourers/ peasants, and non-Muslims to complete the seven tiers of the local government.

Elected local govt representatives to take oath tomorrow: ECP

The number of reserved seats in each category were calculated in pursuant to the provisions of Section 18 of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, which determines 33 per cent women seats and five per cent members in each category of peasants or labourers, youth and non-Muslims of the total number of general seats in union councils, union committees, municipal corporations, municipal committees, town committees, district councils and metropolitan corporation.

In Karachi, there will be one metropolitan corporation with 209 union committees and an equal number of its general members who will elect 69 women members and 10 members each from the category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims making its total strength to 308.

Six city districts

In Karachi West, there are 46 union committees with 184 wards, 46 chairmen and 46 vice chairmen and 184 general members where 92 women members and 46 members from each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims would be elected to reserved seats through secret ballot making the total strength of the 46 union committees to 506.

There will be one DMC in Karachi West with 46 union committees, 46 general members and 15 women members and two members each from youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslim making its total strength to 67.

The structure and strength of Karachi East and Karachi South will be the same as each of them will have 31 union committees with 124 wards, 31 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen and 124 general members with 62 seats reserved for women and 31 for each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims making their total strength to 341.

Each DMC of the Karachi South and East will have 47 members comprising 31 union committee members and 10 women members and two members each from non-Muslims, youth and labourers/peasants seats.

In Korangi district, there are 37 union committees with 148 wards and 37 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen with 148 general members. They will elect 74 women and 37 members from each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims making its total strength to 407.

The Korangi DMC will comprise 37 union committees with 37 general members and 12 women and two members from each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims leading its total strength to 55 members.

In Karachi Central, there are 51 union committees with 204 wards, 51 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen, 204 general members. They will elect 102 women and 51 members from each category of seats reserved for youth, labourer/peasants and non-Muslims, making its total strength to 561.

The Karachi Central DMC will comprise 51 union committees with 51 general members and 17 women and three members from each category of seats reserved for youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims, making its total strength to 77.

In Malir district, there are 13 union committees with 52 wards and 13 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen with 52 general members who were directly elected. They will elect 26 women and 13 members from each category of seats reserved for youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims, making its total strength to 143.

The Malir DMC will comprise 13 union committees with 13 general members where four women and one member will be elected on seats reserved in each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims, making its strength to 20.

Union councils, KDC

In Karachi, there are 38 union councils with 152 wards and 38 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen with 152 general members. They will elect 76 women and 38 members from each category of seats reserved for youth, labourers/ peasants and non-Muslims making its total strength to 418.

Karachi District Council will comprise 38 union councils with 57 members including 38 general members, 13 women members and two members from each category of youth, labouers/peasants and Non-Muslims.

Overall there are 1,175 union councils, 351 union committees, nine municipal corporations, 36 municipal committees, 148 town committees, 24 district councils and one metropolitan corporation across the province.

In union councils, the 1,175 chairmen, an equal number of vice chairmen and 4,700 general members will elect through secret ballots 2,350 women members and 1,175 members in each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims.

In 351 union committees having 1,404 wards, the 351 chairman and an equal number of vice chairman with 1,404 general members will elect 702 women members and 351 members in each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims.

In the nine municipal corporations, the nine chairmen and an equal number of vice chairmen with 351 general members will elect 116 women members and 19 members in each of the three other categories.

In the 36 municipal committees with 607 wards, 201 women members and 40 members from each category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslim will be elected through secret balloting.

Similarly, there are 148 town committees in the province with 984 wards. Their 148 chairmen, an equal number of vice chairmen and 984 general members will elect 332 women members and 148 members in each of the three other categories.

In the 24 district councils, 24 chairmen and an equal number of vice chairman along with 1,175 general members will elect 389 women members and 58 members on seats reserved for each of the category of youth, labourers/peasants and non-Muslims.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2016