RAWALPINDI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalised the list of polling stations for by-elections in PP-7 and asked the citizens, candidates and political parties to submit their suggestions and objections to the returning officer by June 19.

It also announced that the by-polls on 20 vacant seats of Punjab Assembly will be held on July 17.

The constituencies are: PP-7, PP-83, PP-90, PP-97, PP-125, PP-127, PP-140, PP-158, PP-167, PP-168, PP-170, PP-202, PP-217, PP-224, PP-228, PP-237, PP-272, PP-273, PP-282 and PP-288.

The ECP had de-seated 25 MPAs of the PTI for defying party directives and voting for Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz. Five of the members were on seats reserved for women and 20 directly elected.

A reference against the dissident lawmakers sent by Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi was accepted by the ECP for violating Article 63-A which pertains to defection.

The PP-7 in Rawalpindi comprises areas of Kahuta tehsil and 60 per cent area of Kallar Syedan. In 2018, Raja Sagheer was elected as MPA on the PTI ticket.

Roy Sultan Bhatty, District Election Commissioner Rawalpindi-II, told Dawn that there were 266 polling stations proposed for the by-elections.

“The number of polling stations was increased in the constituency in 2022. In the 2018 elections, there were a total of 243 polling stations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2022