ECP announces by-polls on 33 NA seats vacated by PTI

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday announced to hold by-polls on 33 vacant National Assembly seats on March 16.
According to the ECP’s election schedule, candidates will be able to file their nomination papers between February 6-8. The names of the candidates will be published on February 9 and the returning officers (RO) will carry out the scrutiny of the nomination papers till February 13. The last date to file appeals against the RO’s decision on the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers is February 16. The last date for the appellate tribunal to decide on the appeals is February 20. After this, the revised list of candidates will be published on February 21. The last date to withdraw candidature and release of revised list of candidates is February 22, while the election symbols will be allotted on February 23 and the polls will be held on March 16.
The constituencies, where by-polls will be held on March 16 include: NA-04 Swat-III, NA-53 Islamabad-II, NA-126 Lahore-IV, NA-247 Karachi South-II, NA-17 Haripur-I, NA-54 Islamabad-III, NA-130 Lahore-VIII, NA-250 Karachi West-III, NA-18 Swabi-I, NA-57 Rawalpindi-I, NA-155 Multan-I, NA-252 Karachi West-V, NA-25 Nowshera-I, NA-59 Rawalpindi-III, NA-156 Multan-III, NA-254 Karachi Central-II, NA-26 Nowshera-II, NA-60 Rawalpindi-IV, NA-191 Dera Ghazi Khan-III, NA-256 Karachi Central-IV, NA-32 Kohat, NA-62 Rawalpindi-VI, NA-241 Korangi Karachi-III, NA-265 Quetta-II, NA-38 D.I. Khan-I, NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII, NA-242 Karachi East-I, NA-43 Khyber-I, NA-67 Jhelum-II, NA-243 Karachi East-II, NA-52 Islamabad-I, NA-97 Bhakkar-I and NA-244 Karachi East-III.
These seats fell vacant after the PTI MNAs had tendered their resignations en masse after the Imran Khan-led government was ousted via a no-confidence motion in April of last year. A few days ago, their resignations were accepted by the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf and consequently the ECP de-notified them. The resignations of 123 PTI MNAs have so far been accepted and all have been de-notified by the ECP.
Meanwhile, The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to contest upcoming by-polls in nine National Assembly (NA) constituencies. Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan will be PTI’s candidate from all nine Karachi constituencies, sources within PTI told media.
The decision comes hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the schedule for by-polls on 33 National Assembly (NA) vacated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNAs. According to details, the ECP has decided to hold by-polls on 33 NA seats on March 16, for which nomination papers can be received from February 6 to 8.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed February 11 as last date for receipt of applications for postal ballot papers for NA 193 by elections.
According to the ECP, this facility is being extended only to government officials, members of armed forces, holders of public offices, their wives and children stationed at a place other than the constituency, where their votes are registered.
Persons detained in prison and persons with physical disability who are unable to travel and hold a National Identity Card with a logo for physical disability issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) are also entitled to vote by postal ballot. Similarly, the persons appointed by the Returning Officer, including police personnel for the performance of any duty in connection with an election at polling stations other than the one at which they are entitled to cast their vote should apply for postal ballot to the Returning Officer within three days of the their appointments.
The ECP has explained that applications for postal ballot should be submitted on the prescribed form with the returning officer of the constituency in which such persons are enrolled as voters. Application forms for postal ballot can be obtained from Shahab-ud-Din, District Election Commissioner/ Returning Officer, from his office situated at Municipal Committee (MC), Jampur, Rajanpur; Contact no 0604-685969. The application form may also be downloaded from ECP’s website www.ecp.gov.pk. The voters to whom postal ballots are issued will not be entitled to vote in person at the polling stations.