PESHAWAR, July 31: About 8,133,344 people will exercise their right to vote in the local government elections in the North-West Frontier Province in two phases on Aug 18 and Aug 25.

In the first phase, about 4,600,478 voters will cast votes in 12 districts while in the second phase some 3,532,866 voters will cast votes in remaining 12 districts.

According to the Pakistan Election Commission (PEC), the number of registered voters in the NWFP, including minorities, is 8,133,344. Of them with 4,517,833 are male and 3,615,511 are female.

The number of minority voters in the province is 22,019 and of them 16,496 are Christians, 1,887 Hindus and scheduled castes and 3,351 Sikh, Buddhist and Parsis. Quadianis have the lowest number of voters with total 172 males and 140 females.

In the first phase local bodies polls will be held in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Haripur, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Buner districts.

The authorities have declared Mardan, Hangu, Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Lakki Marwat the most sensitive districts where high security measures would be adopted for maintaining law and order situation during the polls.

The PEC will set up a total of 6,938 polling stations in 12 districts. The law enforcement agencies have declared about 2,279 polling stations most sensitive in these 12 districts.

In Peshawar city district, the number of registered voters is 835,433 including 492,012 male and 343421 female voters. A total of 4,026 candidates have filed nomination papers in 92 union councils of the city district, according to the final list released by the PEC.

Out of total 4,026 candidates, 1,821 are contesting on general seats, 415 on female seats, 949 on male peasant/worker seats, 360 on female peasant workers seats and 109 on minority seats.

A total of 425 candidates representing different panels are in the run for the office of nazim and naib nazim in 92 union councils of Peshawar.

Nowshera district has 48 union councils where 2,059 candidates will contest elections for various positions. In Charsadda district total 933 candidates will fight for various posts in 49 union councils.

District-wise break-up of the registered voters in the province is: Nowshera 380,308 voters, Charsadda 423,308, Mardan 610,242, Swabi 430,877, Kohat 285,471, Hangu 151,061, Karak 227,139, Abbottabad 542,014, Haripur 400,512, Mansehra 602,736, Battagram 133,902, Kohistan 225,820, Dera Ismail Khan 373,947, Tank 99,709, Bannu 273,997, Lakki Marwat 218,647, Swat 585,398, Buner 259,535, Shangla 196,815, Upper Dir 188,085, Lower Dir 330,163, Chitral 155,827 and Malakand protected area has 202,398 registered male and female voters.