ECP issues schedule for polls on Sindh’s indirect LB seats

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday issued the schedule for filling up indirect seats in district councils, municipal and town committees, municipal corporations, district municipal corporations and metropolitan corporation of Sindh, fixing May 24 for issuance of notification of the returned candidates.

The ECP called upon the members of the electoral college of concerned councils, committees and corporations to elect the members against reserved seats of women, labourers/peasants, youth and non-Muslims.

Filing of nomination papers by candidates and submission of priority lists of candidates with the returning officers by political parties on May 06-07 while scrutiny of the same will be conducted on May 10-11. Last date for filing of appeals against the decisions of the returning officers (acceptance and rejection of nomination papers) is May 13.

To ensure that elections to the reserved seats in the councils in Sindh province are conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 218(3) of the Constitution, the ECP directs that:

(i) All executive authorities in the Federation and in the provinces shall neither announce any development project nor use state resources in Local Government elections calculated to influence the elections in favour of a particular candidate;

(ii) If any person in government service misuses his official position in any manner in order to influence results of the elections, he shall be liable to be proceeded against under Section 68 of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013;

(iii) No transfers/postings of the civil servants shall be made after the issuance of election schedule of the Local Government elections without prior approval of the Commission till the publication of election results;

(iv) Any holder of public office, who is found to have violated any provision of election laws or the instructions issued by the ECP, shall be proceeded against as mandated in law;

(v) The candidates who have already filed nomination papers for reserved seats in the councils are not required to pay fees with nomination papers.

The offices of the ECP as well as the offices of District Returning Officers and Returning Officers shall remain open on all public holidays during the schedule period.

All electoral activities mentioned in the aforesaid schedule shall be undertaken during office hours (08:00 am to 04:00 pm) and the said timing will also be followed on public holidays fixed for any electoral activity of the schedule.