MIANWALI, Aug 5: As many as 2,169 candidates were allotted election symbols in the second phase of the local election here on Friday. A great rush of people was witnessed in the sessions court, as candidates for the slots of nazims and naib nazims, who were accompanied by their supporters, visited the court premises throughout the day.

Many aspirants for nazim’s office reached court even before its regulation time with the hope of getting lucky symbols like crescent, hockey, peacock, kite, star or radio. However, these symbols were allotted through the flip of coin and other modes.

The election commission has this year appointed eight returning officers, assigning them seven union councils each for Mianwali’s three tehsils — Isakhel, Mianwali and Piplan.

The election commissioner has extended the timing of withdrawal of applications. Around 154 aspirants took their applications back. According to the latest report, some 29 candidates were elected unopposed.

For the 56 union councils in the district, 168 nazims, 958 Muslim councillors (men), 300 Muslim councillors (women), 494 peasant/workers (men), 222 peasant/workers (women) and 27 candidates on minority seats are contesting the election.