PESHAWAR (National Times)- Re-voting has ended at different polling stations in 13 districts for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) today (Sunday) and counting of votes is underway.
The polling began at 8am and continued until 5pm without any break.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the re-polling had to be held on various seats of local councils where elections were terminated either due to the deteriorated law and order situation on polling day or the death of the contesting candidates during the first phase of the local bodies’ polls.
The thirteen districts include Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Laki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Buner, Bajaur, Karak, Khyber and Mohmand.
A total of 710,472 voters – 362,924 male and 347,548 female exercised their constitutional right today.
In neighbourhood council-3, a total of 12,913 voters exercised their right to franchise. Meanwhile, 9,322 voters — out of whom 4,864 were males and 4,458 females — cast their votes at polling station number 5 in neighbourhood council- 22 Qadirabad.
Second phase of LG polls in KP on March 31
On February 10, the ECP had announced the revised schedule for the second phase of the Local Government (LG) elections to be held in the remaining districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 31.
The new schedule was announced after the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended an earlier order of the Peshawar High Court Abbottabad Circuit Bench.
The Abbottabad bench had directed postponement of the polls due to harsh weather in the hilly areas and ordered polling in the KP’s remaining districts after Ramazan.
An official of the ECP soon after the verdict of the apex court had said the second phase of the polls would be held now on March 31.
The official had said the public notice by the returning officers inviting nomination papers would be issued on February 10 while nomination papers can be filed till February 18.
The last date for withdrawal of papers by the candidates will be March 3 while election symbols will be allotted on March 4.
The polling for the second phase will be held on March 31 while the consolidation of results will be down on April 4.
Earlier, the second phase of the local LG elections was announced for March 27.
