KP local government elections- voting in second phase will take place on March 31

 Election Commission announced the schedule after Supreme Court set aside the Peshawar High Court order to postpone the second phase voting due to harsh weather

The Election Commission of Pakistan announced to hold the second phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 31.

Election Commission spokesman Sohail Ahmed said candidates can submit nominations from February 14 to 18 while the list of candidates would be released on 19th of the month and candidates will get electoral symbols on March 4.

It is pertinent to mention here that the first phase of the LG elections had been conducted on December 19, when the balloting was done in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At that time, the second phase of LG polls in 18 districts of KP was to be held in the last week of January, but it was rescheduled by the ECP through an order on applications filed by local MNAs and MPAs.

On Jan 20 this year, the ECP had issued a notification announcing the holding of second phase of LG elections in KP on March 27. However, the Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad bench, postponed the second phase on the ground that these districts would be witnessing cold weather and snow till the end of March.

On the other hand, on Tuesday ECP appealed to the Supreme Court and the apex court set aside the PHC verdict on Wednesday. The ECP has now announced to conduct the second phase of LG elections on March 31.

An official of the ECP soon after the verdict of the apex court said the second phase of the polls would be held now on March 31.

The ECP, while expressing dissatisfaction last month over the security arrangements by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government during the first phase of LG polls, had decided to call out the army for security along with police during the second phase of elections in the remaining areas. During the hearing into various cases, the videos and pieces of evidence were shown to the ECP such as smashing the ballot boxes and tearing off ballot papers by the people, manhandling the polling staff, hampering the voting process and several other incidents.

                                                                      The Election Cell 

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