PESHAWAR: Hundreds of candidates submitted their nomination papers to the respective returning officers in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for contesting the upcoming local body elections as the last date for the purpose expired on Wednesday.

A large number of people, including women from the merged tribal districts of Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur, have filed nomination papers to contest the first local body elections after their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Last date fixed by PEC for purpose expires

On the last date of nomination papers, the candidates reached the offices of the respective returning officers in processions. The candidates representing political parties also shouted slogans in favour of their leaders.

According to the statement of the provincial election commission, the data of nomination papers will be shared with media after their compilation by the respective returning officers.

Similarly, the ECP directed political parties to submit the names of party representatives authorised to issue tickets to their respective candidates by Nov 15 and submit to the provincial office of the ECP in Peshawar.

In Peshawar, the aspirants submitted their nomination papers with 41 returning officers of seven tehsils in the provincial capital.

In Peshawar, elections will be held in seven tehsils and 357 village and neighbourhood councils.

In the first phase, village and neighbourhood and tehsil elections will be held in 17 districts of the province on Dec 19. The districts include Buner, Bajaur, Swabi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank, Haripur, Khyber, Mohmand, Charsadda, Hangu and Lakki Marwat.

In the remaining 18 districts, the elections will be conducted in the second phase on Jan 16.

The filing of nomination papers had begun on Nov 4.

According to the ECP schedule, the publication of names of nominated candidates will take place on Nov 11, whereas the scrutiny of papers will be held from Nov 12 to Nov 14. Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers will be filed from Nov 15 to Nov 17.

Nov 19 has been set as the last date for decision on appeals and a revised list of candidates will be published the following day.

According to the schedule, Nov 22 will be the last date for withdrawing candidature. Election symbols will be allotted the next day (Nov 23) and the final list of contesting candidates will be published the same day.

According to the schedule, consolidation of results is to be completed by Dec 24.

Initially, the ECP had planned to conduct the election in village and neigbourhood councils on non-party basis and in tehsil council on party basis.

However, in light of the Peshawar High Court’s decision, elections for both tiers will be conducted on party basis.

The ECP has already sent letters to all returning officers instructing them to conduct elections of village/neighbourhood councils on party basis.

In Bajaur district, hundreds of aspirants belonging to political parties and independents submitted nomination papers for the first local body elections in the region.

Though the process of filling the nomination papers had begun on Nov 4, a large number of candidates and their supporters were seen submitting their papers with the respective returning officers.

The sources said several women had also filed nomination papers for their reserved seats.

Former MNA and former deputy provincial chief of JI Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, former senator and JUI-F district head Maulana Abdul Rasheed, JI former district chief Qari Abdul Manan and PPP district president Aurangzeb were among those who filed nomination papers for the post of the tehsil chairmanship.

In Haripur, many aspirants submitted nomination papers as many as 34 candidates, including two women, confirmed their candidature for three seats of tehsil chairmen until the last minute.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2021