Islamabad (Web Desk): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced the schedule for upcoming elections in Punjab.
According to a notification by the electoral body, the public notice by the returning officer (RO) will be issued on March 11.
The papers could be filed from March 12 to March 14 and names of the nominated candidates will be published on March 15.
The last date for RO’s scrutiny of the nomination papers will be March 22.
The notification added that March 27 will be the last date for filing appeals against the RO’s decisions, while April 3 will be the last date for deciding appeals by the Appellate Tribunal.
Meanwhile, the revised list of the candidates will be published on April 4, while April 5 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature and publishing the revised candidate list.
The election symbols will be allotted to the contesting candidates on April 6 with polling day as April 30.
The notification further said that said the schedule will also be applicable for reserved seats for women and minorities, with March 14 as the last date for filing a separate priority list for the reserved seats.
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On March 3, President Dr Arif Alvi on announced April 30 as date for Punjab assemblies elections.
“President Dr Arif Alvi has announced to hold general elections of Punjab Assembly on April 30, Sunday,” President’s office said in a tweet.
ECP, in its letter to President Alvi, had recommended that the polls for the provincial assembly in Punjab can be held between April 30 to May 07.
On March 1, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered all the departments concerned to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) assemblies within 90 days.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail announced verdict in the suo motu notice regarding the delay in election dates in Punjab and KP.
The verdict was split 3-2 with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail dissenting with the majority verdict. CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the ruling.
