The process of filing nomination papers for the local bodies elections 2013 to be held on December 7 in Punjab and Sindh begins Monday (today). The nomination papers have been up-loaded on official website of the Election Commission of Pakistan. In Punjab and Sindh, nomination papers could be submitted on Monday and Tuesday (November 11, 12) Final lists of candidates will be released on November 23 and November 25 in Sindh and Punjab respectively.
The Punjab which has agreed to hold LB polls on party basis, following orders of the Lahore High Court, has further decided to hold these polls under the civil administration.
It has issued notification to appoint DCOs of 36 districts as District Returning Officers, and 576 officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner and TMOs as Returning Officers,
Meanwhile Punjab government on Sunday turned down a request by the Election Commission of Pakistan to prepare voter lists for the December 7 LB polls. According to reports the Punjab government in a letter, has told the ECP that it was not their job to prepare electoral roll. The provincial government cannot prepare voter lists, it said.
On the other hand, ECP has argued that all state institutions are bound to assist the commission in conducting elections and that its request cannot be denied.
However political observers say that uncertainty and confusion over holding of LB polls in Punjab and Sindh is very deep as Sindh government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to postpone the elections and even ECP is finding it difficult to print 400 million ballot papers and procure at least 2.2 million magnetised inkpads in a short time.