ISLAMABAD: Candidates for the upcoming general election of the Punjab Assembly are required to submit their nomination papers to the Returning Officers (ROs) between Sunday and Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced Saturday.
The names of the nominated candidates will be published on March 15 while the scrutiny process of nomination papers will continue until March 22. Appeals can be filed against the rejection or acceptance of nomination papers until March 27.
The appellate tribunal will decide on the appeals by the 3rd of the following month. The revised list of candidates will be published on April 4. Candidates may withdraw their papers on April 5, while a revised list of candidates will be published on the same day.
Election symbols will be allotted to the contesting candidates on April 6, and polling will be held on April 30, as announced by the president.
Earlier in the day, the tribunal appointed 36 District Returning Officers (DROs), 297 ROs, and 294 Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) to oversee a transparent and impartial election of the Punjab Assembly.
The officials were selected based on their competence and experience in administration, and they will be responsible for ensuring a smooth voting process, counting the votes, and announcing the results in their respective districts, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.
In a news statement, the ECP reiterated its commitment to a free, fair, and transparent election and urged all political parties, candidates, and voters to cooperate with the appointed officials and follow the rules and regulations of the electoral process.
It also called on all stakeholders to refrain from any activities that could disrupt the election or undermine its integrity.
The ECP’s efforts to ensure a smooth and transparent election are commendable, and it is the responsibility of all participants to abide by the rules and regulations to uphold the democratic process.
The appointment of experienced officials is an important step towards conducting a fair and impartial election.
The development comes a day after military and civilian intelligence agencies expressed opposition to holding general elections in the two provinces, citing a fresh wave of terrorism and intelligence reports warning of more attacks.
The tribunal held a meeting to discuss security arrangements for the elections, attended by officials and representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau, and Counter-Terrorism Departments.
Sources say the intelligence representatives were unanimous in their view that the “time was not right for elections” due to the offensive against terrorism and the presence of suspected militants from Afghanistan in Punjab.
The agencies suggested a postponement of three to four months.
