KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday announced the polls schedule for filling up the seats reserved for women, labourer/ worker, youth and non-Muslims in the local government institutions of Sindh from union councils up to the metropolitan corporation as provided under Section 18 of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.

The two-day nomination process will start on Jan 20 while the elections will be held on Feb 8 and 14.

The reserved seats in the union councils, union committees, district councils, municipal committees, town committees, municipal corporation , district municipal corporation and metropolitan corporation will be filled by indirect elections in the province.

The commission has also called upon members of the electoral college of the councils, committees and corporations concerned to elect members on the reserved seats.

According to the notification, a public notice will be issued by the returning officers on Jan 18 while nomination papers can be filed with the returning officers by the candidates from Jan 20 to Jan 21. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on Jan 22 and 23.

Appeals against the acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers could be filed by Jan 25, while the appellate authorities will decide the appeals by Jan 27. The last date for the withdrawal of the candidature is Jan 28 followed by publication of the revised list of candidates along with election symbols on the same date.

The polling on indirect seats of district councils, municipal corporations, district municipal corporations and metropolitan corporation would be held on Feb 8, while the indirect election of members on seats of union councils, union committees, town committees and municipal committees will be held on Feb 14.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2016