The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued guidelines for candidates filing nomination papers for national and provincial assembly seats for the general elections to be held on February 8, 2024.

The nomination papers could be obtained from respective returning officers at office working hours from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from December 20 to December 22, 2023.

As per the ECP guidelines, the fee for obtaining one nomination paper’s form is fixed at Rs10, and one candidate can submit a maximum of five nomination papers with different proposers/seconders.

The fee for submission of a nomination paper for a National Assembly seat is Rs30,000 and Rs 20,000 for a provincial assembly seat is non-refundable.

The fee for the nomination paper could either be submitted directly to the Returning Officer or through a bank draft in his name in any National Bank of Pakistan branch and its receipt should be attached to the nomination form.

The attested copies of CNICs of the candidates and their proposers /seconders besides vote certificates issued by the concerned office of the district election commissioner and income tax returns of the last three years and passport should be attached with the nomination papers.

The ECP on December 15 issued the schedule for 2024’s general elections confirming that the elections will take place on February 8 next year.

Appeals to the scrutiny process will have to be filed by January 3 and will be heard by January 10. A day later on December 11, the ECP will issue a revised list of candidates and will give candidates another day to withdraw their papers.