Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad presiding over a meeting in the office of Punjab Election Commissioner here on Saturday said that the Chief Election Commissioner has directed for by-elections to three tiers of local government institutions be held within a couple of weeks.
He said that more than 1,500 seats in different categories were vacant in Punjab, adding that in Zila Councils two seats of Nazim, one Naib Nazim, 19 women seats, five of peasant workers and two minority seats were vacant. In Tehsil/Town councils, 11 seats of Nazim, six of women, seven peasant workers and seven minority seats stood vacant, he said.
Dilshad said in the third tier, 151 seats of Union Nazim, 51 Naib Union Nazim, 155 Muslim General seats, 98 Muslim women seats, 66 peasant workers general seats, 125 peasant workers women seats, and 1,045 minority seats remained vacant in 1,441 Union Councils of 35 districts of Punjab.
He said that in the first phase by-elections to the vacant seats of Union Council would be held to complete the Electoral College for conduct of by-elections of Zila Councils as well as Tehsil/Town councils.
Addressing the participants, Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad highlighted the need for a sophisticated infrastructure by Election Commission of Pakistan and observed that it would prove invaluable for holding and providing info in future elections, general, local government and by-polls, and would also enable the ECP to update electoral rolls at its own level.