The Election Commission (EC) on Monday announced that by-elections on eight National Assembly and 30 Provincial Assemblies seats will be held on June 3 with filing of nomination papers from April 15. While unveiling the schedule, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), former justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq said no one would be allowed to interfere in the process.
As the elected members in the National and Provincial assemblies have taken oath and evacuated additional seats as per article 233 of the Constitution, the EC, he said has to conduct by-election on vacant seats.
The CEC also announced by-election on five vacant seats for, one general seat from Fata, two general seats from NWFP and two seats including one general seat and one reserved for technocrats/Ulema from Balochistan. He said the above said election schedule will also be applied for fresh national as well as provincial assemblies seats. He said that officials from judiciary have also been appointed as returning officers for by-elections, for National and Provincial Assemblies and Senate.
By-election will be held on 6 National Assembly seats with NA-55 Rawalpindi, NA-11 Mardan-III, NA-52 Rawalpindi-III, NA-123 Lahore-VI, NA-131 Sheikhupura-I, NA-147 Okara-V, NA 119 Lahore-II and NA-207 Larkana.
PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES: The 22 provincial assemblies seats where polls are to be conducted on June 3 are 12 in Punjab, 3 Sindh, 4 NWFP and 3 Balochistan.
Punjab Assembly seats included PP-10 Rawalpindi-X, PP-48 Bhakkar-II, PP-59 Faisalabad-IX, PP-107 Hafizabad-III, PP-118 Mundi Bhuddin-III, PP-124 Sialkot-IV, PP-219 Khanewal-VIII, PP-229 Pakpattan-III, PP-243 DG Khan-IV, PP-258 Muzaffargarh-VIII, PP-277 Bhawalnagar-I, PP-295 Rahim Yar Khan, fresh seats PP-99 Gujranwala-IX, PP-70 Faisalabad-XX, PP-141 Lahore-V, PP-171 Nankana Sahib-II and PP-154 Lahore-XVIII.
Sindh Assembly seats are PS-30 Khairpur-II, PS-44 Matiari-cum Hyderabad (old Hyderabad-II) and PS-62 Tharparkar-III. In NWFP PF-20 Charsada-IV, PF-45 Abbottabad-II, PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II and PF-91 Upper Dir, PF-59 Battagram-I, PF-81 Swat-II, PF-92 Upper Dir-II, while constituencies for Balochistan Assembly are PB-9 Pishin-II, PB-32 Jhal Magsi and PB-44Lasbela-I.
According to the EC, nomination papers by the candidate will be filed on April15 to 21, scrutiny will be made on April 22 to 28 and appeals against the decisions of returning officers will be heard on May 2.
The decision on appeals will be taken on May 9 with withdrawal of candidatures on May 10. The revised list of candidates will be published on May 11 and polling will be held on June 3. Nomination papers for Senate five seats will be filed on April, scrutiny will be conducted on April 22 and appeals will be filed on April 24. The polls on Fata seats will be held on May 3 and for NWFP and Balochistan on May 6.