Voting for first phase of LG elections in 17 KP districts underway

PESHAWAR: Voting for the first phase of local government elections in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is underway.

Polling began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm without any break.

The 17 districts where elections will be held include Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur.

Over 12.668 million registered voters, including 7,015,757 male and 5,653,095 female voters, would decide the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for different seats, while 4,188 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 2,507 most sensitive.

ECP has postponed polling for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Elections in Baka Khel over security situation.

The election commission has said that new date for the election will be announced later and a three member committee has been formed to investigate the allegations of pre-poll rigging.

A complaint had filed in the ECP against a provincial minister and his accomplices for alleged pre-polling rigging and abducting polling staff and security personnel.

Over 2000 contestants have been elected unopposed in the local bodies elections that are being held today (Sunday) in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

217 candidates on general seats, 876 on women seats and 285 on farmers seat were elected unopposed while candidates on 500 youth and 154 minority seats were declared successful.

Stringent security arrangements have been made in this regard. 77,000 policemen and law-enforcement personnel have been deployed outside polling stations and booths for the security of voters.

CCTV cameras have been installed at sensitive locations and it is prohibited to carry weapons or electronic devices in all polling stations.

As many as 19,285 people are contesting for general seats of village, and neighborhood councils, 3,870 for women, 7,428 for farmers and labor, 6,011 for youth and 293 for minorities.

There are 676 candidates contesting elections for 65 seats of city mayor and tehsil chairman. PTI is the only party which has fielded candidates for all the 65 seats and no party has been able to field 65 candidates. JUI-F has fielded 59 candidates, ANP is in third position with 55 candidates, while PML-N’s 51 candidates will contest elections and 47 candidates of Jamaat-e-Islami will contest polls, while PPP’s 43, 14 candidates of Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP) and 305 independent candidates are hopeful for victory.

Local body elections in 35 districts will be held in two phases. In the first phase, elections are being held today in 17 districts.

On the other hand, every voter will be able to cast 6 votes in the election, the color of the ballot paper will be different for different seats, white ballot paper will be used for city mayor / tehsil chairman. Silver color has been allotted for the general seat of Neighborhood / Village Council.

Read more: Preparations to hold 1st phase of local govt elections in 17 KP districts completed