ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: The Election Commission announced on Tuesday that polling for the national and provincial assemblies would be held on Jan 8.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Qazi Mohammad Farooq announced the schedule which in effect means the beginning of the seven-week election process with nomination papers to be filed from Nov 21 to 26. The scrutiny of the papers will take place from Nov 27 to Dec 3, appeals against acceptance or otherwise of the nomination papers may be filed by Dec 7 and decisions on such appeals will be taken by Dec 14.

The nomination papers can be withdrawn by Dec 15 and the final list of candidates will be published on Dec 16.

After the publication of the list, candidates will have 22 days of electioneering in accordance with a ‘code of conduct’ prepared by the EC.

The CEC, meanwhile, has asked the government to immediately release all people intending to contest the elections or make suitable arrangements to enable them to submit nomination papers.

According to an EC press release, the CEC has invited the attention of the government to Article 8 EE of the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 and Section 12 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, under which all candidates are required to personally appear before the returning officer to file nomination papers.

The polling for the national and four provincial assemblies would be held simultaneously all over the country, he said.

Justice Farooq insisted that the elections would be held in a free, fair, transparent and impartial manner. He said computerised electoral rolls had been prepared and transparent ballot boxes were imported.

He said arrangements had been made to conduct the election peacefully and appealed to the political parties to cooperate with the commission. He urged people, especially women to exercise their right to vote. He warned of strict legal action against anyone preventing women from going to the polling stations.

The EC also released the code of conduct for polls which is almost similar to its original draft. The one significant change is that a clause limiting election expenses has been deleted. The limit set in the draft code of conduct was Rs1.5 million for a candidate for a NA seat and Rs1 million for the provincial assembly.