MIRAMSHAH, Dec 8: The returning officer here on Saturday rejected nomination papers of seven candidates for not paying electricity dues. Twenty-five candidates had filed nomination papers for NA-40 (North Waziristan).

Officials said that during scrutiny, the returning officer asked seven candidates to clear their outstanding electricity bills but they refused, claiming their areas did not have the facility of electricity.

The seven candidates announced that they would file appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers. They claimed that the utility bills were fake.

The nomination papers of three other candidates were also rejected as they did not appear before the returning officer.

The North Waziristan Agency has 126,457 registered voters, 18,390 among them being women.

Officials said that 98 polling stations would be set up for polling in the agency, of which 16 would be reserved for women.

Tribesmen in the agency did not allow women to cast votes in the previous elections.