Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday revealed that as many as 12,570 candidates would contest the upcoming elections from all National Assembly and provincial assembly constituencies.

According to the ECP, out of total contesting candidate, 3,675 would contest on National Assembly (NA) seats while 8,895 candidates will contest for the provincial assembly seats.

Meanwhile, 44 non-Muslims would wrestle for NA and 113 for the provincial assembly seats.

Sharing the details regarding Punjab, the commission said that 1,623 were the contesting candidates for general seats in NA and 4,036 for the provincial assembly (PA) while 73 women will fight for the NA and 174 for the PA. Besides, 32 non-Muslims were contestants for PA in Punjab.

About the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) election contestants, the ECP said 725 were contesting elections from the general seats of the NA and 1,165 were the contenders of the PA seats while 35 women will fight for the NA and 79 for the PA. Besides, 20 non-Muslims were contesting for provincial assembly of KP.

Sindh’s detail showed that 824 were contesting elections for the general seats of the NA and 2,252 were the contenders of Sindh’s PA while 48 of women will fight for Sindh’s NA and

91 for PA. Besides, 39 non-Muslims were contesting for provincial assembly of Sindh.

Moreover, 287 were contesting elections from the general seats of Balochistan’s NA and 943 were the contenders of the same provincial assembly seats while 16 of women will fight for the NA

and 42 for the PA. Besides, 22 non-Muslims were contesting for provincial assembly of Balochistan.

The ECP has fixed July 5 as last date for receiving of applications regarding postal ballots for general election 2018.

As per Sec 93 of the Elections Act, 2017, the out-stationed voters, who cannot reach to the polling station in person, can cast their votes for the national and provincial assemblies through postal ballots.

According to an ECP official, the facility, as per the law, has been extended to the persons in government service, members of armed forces, their spouses and such of their children as are registered voters and ordinarily reside with them provided they are stationed at a place other than the place in which their constituency is situated, persons with any physical disability who are unable to travel and hold a National Identity Card with a logo for physical disability issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the persons who are detained in prison or held in custody are also entitled to vote by postal ballot.

Published in Daily Times, July 3^rd 2018.