Islamabad local polls rescheduled for Oct 9

ISLAMABAD: In response to requests from political parties, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday extended the deadline for the submission of nomination papers for the Islamabad local bodies elections to August 28 and rescheduled polling for October 9 instead of September 29.

“To facilitate the participation of various political parties and prospective candidates in the election process and to provide them with all possible accommodations, the election commission has officially notified the revised election programme, according to which polling will now be held on October 9, 2024,” said a statement issued here.

According to the revised schedule, the returning officer will display public notices for the local body elections, and nomination papers can now be submitted until August 28. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place from August 30 to September 4, while appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed from September 5 to September 7.

The appellate authority will decide on the appeals between September 9 and September 13. The deadline for the withdrawal of nomination papers is September 16, with the revised list of candidates being published on the same day. Election symbols will be allotted to candidates on September 17.

There are currently 1,112,744 registered voters who will elect members of the local governments, consisting of 125 union councils. The election commission has already issued a notification regarding the appointment of district returning officers, returning officers, and assistant returning officers. A code of conduct has also been issued. Separately, the commission has set August 26, 2024, as the last date for receiving applications for postal ballots for the by-election in NA-171 R.Y. Khan-III. Under the law, this facility is extended to government employees, members of the armed forces, their spouses, and eligible children residing with them, persons with physical disabilities who hold a national identity card with a disability logo issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), and individuals detained in prison or held in custody.

Additionally, individuals appointed by the returning officers, including police personnel assigned duties at polling stations other than their designated polling stations, are advised to apply for postal ballots within three days of their appointment. Applications for postal ballots should be submitted using the prescribed form to the returning officer of the relevant constituency. Voters who receive postal ballots will not be allowed to vote in person at the polling stations. The application must be forwarded or endorsed by the voter’s office or department to prevent unauthorised individuals from applying for a postal ballot.