By-polls on vacant NA, provincial assembly seats on April 21: ECP

By-polls on vacant NA, provincial assembly seats on April 21: ECP

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the by-elections on the national and provincial assembly seats that had been left vacant after Feb 8 general elections.

According the ECP, the by-elections on six National Assembly (NA) seats, 12 provincial assembly seats in Punjab, two each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan assemblies and one in Sindh Assembly will be conducted on April 21, 2024.

Candidates can file their nomination papers from March 16-18. The nominated candidates' names will be published on March 18, the electoral authority said in a statement.

The scrutiny of the papers by the returning officers (RO) will be held on March 21 while candidates, whose papers have been rejected, can file appeals on the RO's decision till March 25, it added.

The appellate tribunal must then decide on the appeals by March 28 and the revised list of candidates will be issued the same day.

Candidates who wish to withdraw from the polls can do so by March 29 and the next day — March 30 — running candidates will be allotted election symbols.

The polling will be held on April 21.