PESHAWAR, July 25: Eighty-five candidates filed appeals on Monday in the court of District and Sessions Judge Shahjehan Khan Akhundzada challenging the rejection of their nomination papers by returning officers. The judge, who is acting as the district returning officer, would dispose of the appeals by July 27 and final list of candidates would be made public on July 29.

The appeals were mostly filed by those aspiring to contest polls on the seats of general councillors. Some of the panels contesting for the posts of nazim and naib nazim have also filed appeals. The returning officers have rejected the nomination papers on different grounds. Some of the appellants were below 25 years age, whereas some had no secondary school certificates.

In the Peshawar city district there are 92 union councils and 23 returning officers have been assigned the duties for these councils. Polling will be held on Aug 18.