KARACHI, Aug 17: The largest number of candidates, 666, are in the run in Keamari Town for union councils’ elections, while the smallest number, 284, in the Malir Town. According to statistics available with Karachi field office of the election commission, as many as 8,458 candidates, including 735 panels of nazims, are contesting for seats in 178 union councils of 18 towns of Karachi district, polling for which would commence on Aug 18.

There are about 4,722,936 registered voters located in the 18 towns, carved out of five defunct districts, East, West, South, Central and Malir in 2001 under the devolution plan. A maximum of 1,251,588 voters are in East, followed by 1,212,783 in central.

About 3728 polling stations, including 1,069 for male and 908 for female voters and 1,751 combined centres, have been set up at various educational institutions buildings and other government premises in Karachi alone where polling would be held from 8 am to 5 pm. Every voter after his or her identification will be issued six different ballot papers by three assistant presiding officers.

The breakdown of candidates vying for different seats in union councils is: Muslim (General)-3513, Muslim (Woman)-1171, Workers/Peasants-1804, Workers/Peasants (Woman)-869, Minority-366 and 735 panels of nazim and naib nazim.

Apparently at least 2,040 women, 24 per cent of the entire number of candidates, are in the run. The lowest number of woman candidates against Muslim (woman) seats, 41, is in Gulberg town, while the largest number, 88 in Gulshan Town.

As far as numbers of UCs are concerned, Gulshan, Jamshed, New Karachi and Orangi topped with 13 UCs each. The largest number of panels for nazim and naib-nazims, 65, is contesting in Jamshed Town, where the total number of candidates in six different categories has been recorded as 663, followed by 61 panels in Gulshan, 58 in Lyari and 52 in Keamari towns.

The lowest, four candidates, are in the run in Orangi Town for minority seats. The largest numbers of minority candidates, 39 each, are contesting in 9 UCs of Gulshan town, and Jamshed Town (10 UCs).

Of the 178 Ucs in Karachi, 30 are those where only two panels of nazim and naib nazim have been fielded. These are in Site, Baldia, Orangi, Gadap, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Liaquatabad, Bin Qasim, Landhi, Korangi, Jamshed and Saddar towns.

The least number of candidates for Muslim General seats, 102, has been registered in Malir Town, which comprises 7 UCs, while the largest number of Muslim General candidates, 291, is in Keamari Town which comprises eight UCs.

The largest numbers of candidates against Workers/Peasant seats, 152, are in Keamari, while the lowest, 59, each in Landhi and Malir towns. The lowest number of candidates, 32, in the Workers/Peasants (Woman) category, is in Shah Faisal town, while the largest number of candidates in the same category, 66, in Keamari town. There is no contest on Workers/Peasant (Woman) seat in UC Maymarabad (Gadap Town) and UC Shah Baig Lane (Lyari town).

A maximum of 102 candidates are in run for different seats in UC Machar Colony (Keamari Towns), followed by 100 candidates each in UC Ittehad Town in SITE and UC Gujro in Gadap Town. The smallest number, i.e. 11, is in UC Data Nagar (Orangi Town).