The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the first phase of local government (LG) elections in Sindh. According to the ECP spokesman, the first phase covers a total of 14 districts of Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas divisions. The local government elections will be held in these districts on June 26, 2022, from 8am to 5pm while the results will be on June 30. The nomination papers will be submitted to the concerned Returning officers from May 10 to May 13. Public notices will be issued by the Returning Officers (ROs) on April 28 in their offices. The publication of the names of nominated candidates will be on May 14 while the scrutiny of nomination papers by ROs will be during May 16-18. Similarly, the date for filing of appeals against the decision of ROs will be May 19-21 while the date for deciding of appeals by the appellate authority will be May 23-25. The date for publication of the revised list of candidates will be May 26 while the last date for withdrawal and publication of the revised candidate list will be May 27. The date for the allotment of symbols to contesting candidates will be May 28. In further guidelines to ensure the elections are held fairly and honestly and to ensure that corrupt practices are prevented, the ECP barred executive authorities from announcing development projects or using state resources to influence polls in favour of a candidate. It warned that any government official who misused their position to influence the elections would be proceeded against under the law. The ECP also barred transfers and postings of government officers or granting them leaves in divisions for which the election schedule had been issued without the commission’s prior approval.