ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday said that 78 candidates had submitted their nomination papers so far with Returning Officers (ROs) for contesting election on Senate vacant seats to be held on March 3.
According to an official of ECP, 15 candidates have filed their nomination papers from Punjab, 20 from Sindh, 24 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 15 from Balochistan. As many as 16 nomination papers have been submitted for Women seats while five for Non-Muslim and 14 nomination papers have been submitted for Technocrats and Ulema seats.
He said that the commission has extended the date for filing nomination papers for senate election from February 13 to February 15 on written and verbal requests from various forums to facilitate the candidates.
He said that the ECP has appointed five Returning Officers for Islamabad and four provinces while the candidates can file their nomination papers on Saturday also with ROs.
He said that the polling will be held on March 3 on 48 seats, two in Islamabad, 11 each in Punjab and Sindh, and 12 each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, that will fall vacant on the expiration of the term of the members.
He said that the polling will be held from 0900 hours to 1700 hours simultaneously in Parliament House, Islamabad, and provincial assembly buildings in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
A public notice has already been issued by returning officers for inviting nomination papers. The nominated candidates will be announced on February 16, while the date for scrutiny of nomination papers will be February 17 to February 18.
The last dates for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations will be February 20 while the dates for disposal of appeals by the Tribunals will be February 23.
The date of publication of revised list of candidates will be February 24 while the date for withdrawal of candidature will be February 25.
The commission called upon the members of provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces to elect members against seven general seats, two women seats and two seats for Technocrats including Ulema from each province and one seat for non-Muslims each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which are going to become vacant on March 11.