ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued the schedule for the 2018 general elections.

According to the schedule, returning officers through public notices will invite nominations from prospective candidates on June 1, while nomination papers will be filed from June 2 to 6.

The list of nominated candidates will be published on June 7. The last date for scrutiny of nomination papers is June 14, while June 19 will be the last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers.

Since public holidays on account of Eidul Fitr are most likely to be declared from June 15 to 17, there would practically be only two days available to candidates and their rivals to challenge acceptance or rejection of nomination papers.

June 26 will be the last date for appellate tribunals to be appointed by the ECP for deciding appeals against decisions of returning officers.

ECP consults political parties with representation in parliament over code of conduct

The revised list of validly nominated candidates will be published on June 27, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 28. Election symbols will be allocated to candidates on June 29 and the final lists of the contesting candidates will be published the same day.

Polling will take place on July 25.

Earlier, the ECP consulted political parties having representation in parliament over the code of conduct for political parties and candidates.

During the meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza, the representatives of political parties expressed concern over uncertainty about timely holding of polls and asked the commission to immediately announce schedule for elections.

The representatives of political parties said the polls must not go beyond July 25 and asked the commission to ignore calls for delaying the polls.

The CEC assured them that the polls would be held on time and said the commission was fully prepared to hold free, fair and transparent elections.

Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Ahsan Iqbal, Zahid Hamid, Rana Sanaullah and Ayesha Raza Farooq (PML-N), Farhatullah Babar (PPP), Shafqat Mehmood and Shahid Gondal (PTI), Mian Iftikhar, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Zahid Khan and Bushra Gohar (ANP), Liaquat Baloch and Mian Aslam (MMA), Kamil Ali Agha (PML-Q), Usman Kakar and Sardar Azam Khan Moosakhel (PkMAP) and Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli (QWP) attended the consultative meeting.

The ECP also announced the code of conduct for international observers and security personnel and polling staff.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2018