ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: After the completion of lower house (National Assembly), the Election Commission has started preparations to conduct elections of upper house (senate).

The schedule for senate elections will be announced within a couple of days.

All the four provincial assemblies are the electoral college for the senate seats and with the announcement of convening of first sessions of all the four provincial assemblies, preparations for senate elections will be geared up.

The government has already increased senate seats to 100, including 17 seats reserved for women for the first time in the parliamentary history of the country.

There are 66 general seats in senate which include 14 each for four provinces, eight for Fata and two for Islamabad.

There are four seats reserved for women for each province while one women seat is reserved for Islamabad and one for woman technocrat.

Out of 17 reserved seats for technocrats in senate, four each will be filled from the four provinces while one is reserved for Islamabad.

After the completion of by-elections, the Election Commission will conduct the elections of senate which will likely to be held in last week of December.—APP