ECP sets August 29 for oath taking of councilors

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed August 29 for administration of oath to the councillors elected during the May 30 local government elections.
As per the official communiqué issued by the KP provincial Election Commission on Wednesday, the ECP fixed August 30 for election to the seats of nazim and naib nazim of District/City/Tehsil/Town councils as well as nazim and naib nazim of the neighbourhood and village councils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It was stated that under Section 80 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2014 read with Rule 72 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Councils (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2014 every member elected to a local council shall declare his or her assets before taking his seat.
The District Returning Officers were asked to make necessary arrangements under Rule 72 Ibid, so that the proceeding of oath to the members of the councils elected during the local government elections 2015 could be done in an efficient manner.
“If a member of a council is unable to attend the meeting, the nazim or as the case may be, the naib nazim of the local council shall, at any subsequent meeting, administer oath of office to such member, whereupon such member shall be deemed to have taken his seat in the local council,” the notification said.
Through a separate notification, the Election Commission fixed August 30 for election of the seats of nazim and naib nazim of District/City/Tehsil/ Town councils as well as nazim and naib nazim of the neighbourhood/village councils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As per the notification, for nomination of the nazims and naib nazims any member may propose or second the name of any member who, in his opinion, commands the confidence of the majority of the members of the council.
It said that every proposal shall be made by a separate nomination paper in Form XXXI (for nazim or naib nazim of District/Tehsil/Town Council). A separate nomination paper shall be filed for nazim or naib nazim of neighbourhood/village council. Every nomination paper shall be delivered by the candidate or his proposer or seconder to the secretary of the local council by 1pm on the day fixed for the ascertainment.
About scrutiny, it said that the returning officer shall, in the presence of the candidates or their proposers or seconders, who may wish to be present, scrutinise the nomination papers.It said that a candidate may withdraw his candidature at any time before the election.