PESHAWAR, Aug 3: After the completion of scrutiny and rejection of nomination papers for the second phase of local elections, a total of 15,147 candidates have been left in the field to contest polls in 12 districts of the NWFP. According to the Provincial Election Commissioner’s office, for 5,590 seats of the 430 union councils of 12 districts, 1,533 candidates are contesting for the posts of nazim and naib nazim, 7,160 for general seats, 1,503 for Muslim (female) seats, 3,735 for peasants \ workers seats, 1,154 for peasants/ workers (female) seats and 62 for the seats reserved for minorities.

A total of 628 candidates are contesting for 247 seats of 19 union councils of district Hangu. Similarly, 1,809 candidates are in the run for 429 seats of 33 union councils of district Lakki Marwat; 1,947 are vying for 663 seats of 51 union councils of district Abbottabad; 1,980 are in the contest for 767 seats of 59 union councils of district Mansehra; 664 in the run for 260 seats of 20 union councils of district Batagram; and 679 in the field for 498 seats of 38 union councils of district Kohistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that no woman candidate is contesting polls in district Kohistan. In district Swat, 2,497 candidates are in the field for 845 seats of 65 union councils; 943 are in district Shangla for 364 seats of 28 union councils; 967 are contesting polls for 364 seats of 28 union councils of district Dir (Upper); in Upper Dir 167 women are contesting for various posts.

A total of 1,215 candidates are vying for 481 seats of 37 union councils of district Dir (Lower), 220 women are in the run in Dir (Lower). A total of 844 candidates are in the field for 312 seats of 24 union councils of district Chitral and 974 candidates are contesting polls for 364 seats of 28 union councils of Malakand.—APP