RAWALPINDI, Nov 3: Matriculation has been kept as minimum academic qualification for the candidates intending to contest the local government elections in the cantonments, it has been learnt.

According to the Cantonment Local Government Ordinance 2002, any other certificate or qualification equivalent to matriculation from a recognised institution will also be acceptable for the candidature of cantonment board nazim or naib nazim. His age should not be less than 25 years.

Since these elections are to be held on non-party basis, any candidate using directly or indirectly the platform, flag, symbol, affiliation and financial or material resources or support of a political, religious, ethnic or sectarian party, formation or organisation for his canvassing will not be eligible to contest the elections.

The candidate should not be an employee of federal, provincial or local government or any statutory body. A person who has retired from any government service not less than six months before the fixed date for holding of the local government elections will also be eligible, the ordinance says.

A person in possession of assets which are inconsistent with his justifiable means, whether held in his own name, or of his dependents or any other person, cannot contest these elections. A defaulter of any tax or any other financial dues owed to the federal, provincial or a local government or any other financial institution, including utility bills for at least six months or more has also been debarred from contesting the elections. A person convicted by a court on charge of corrupt practice involving moral turpitude or misuse of power under any law for the time being enforce too cannot contest elections.