LARKANA, Feb 19: The nominees of Khushhal Pakistan Panel (KPP) and Awam Dost Panel (ADP), Ali Raza Shah and Nisar Bhutto, respectively, filed nomination papers for the seat of Larkana district naib nazim.

Supporters of both the candidates reached at the office of the returning officer in processions.The seat has fallen vacant after Munawwar Abro was removed through a no-confidence motion.

Mr Abro, who belongs to the Sindh National Front, had returned to the slot as a result of an alliance with the KPP.

He saw the no-trust move when the alliance stood fragmented due to differences between the leadership of the SNF and the KPP.

Voting for the seat would be held on February 21. Barkat Shaikh, a key member of the ADP, claimed on Monday that some members of the KPP, particularly women, had clandestinely contacted and assured them of their support to the ADP-backed candidate if the voting was held through secret ballot.

Meanwhile, Nisar Bhutto moved the Sindh High Court, Larkana circuit bench, requesting it to get the election conducted through secret ballot instead of show of hands.

The petition was fixed for hearing on Monday but it did not come up for hearing due to lawyers’ boycott. It will be heard on Tuesday.

On the other hand, Munawwar Abro has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the verdict of the Sindh High Court’s principal bench, declaring his ouster through no-trust move legal.

He told Dawn that the appeal would come up for hearing on Tuesday. He said that the Election Commission, the secretary of local government and the district nazim had been cited as respondents in the petition.

PRESIDENT’S VISIT: District Coordination Officer Naseer Mohammad Jamali presided over a meeting held here on Monday to review arrangements for the forthcoming Larkana visit of President General Musharraf.