KP local govt elections Election campaign for second phase ends midnight

• ECP directs contesting political parties in KP to cease election campaigning by 12am Tuesday night.
• ECP spokesperson says no candidate or party leader can address gatherings after deadline.
• Says action will be taken against political leaders and parties involved in violation of rules.

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed on Tuesday all political parties to end their election campaign for the second phase of the local government elections in 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by midnight.

The ECP’s spokesperson said that as per the rules, the campaign must end at midnight (March 29) and no candidate or party leader will address gatherings or corner meetings or stage processions in their respective constituencies after the deadline.

He said that legal action would be taken against those political leaders and parties that violate the rules.

As many as 8,057,974 registered voters, including 4,489,771 male and 3,567,703 female, are expected to exercise their right to vote in 65 tehsils and 1,830 village and neighbourhood councils during the second phase of local bodies elections in 18 districts of KP on March 31, 2022.

According to the provincial Election Commission, a total of 6,176 polling stations, including 1,246 for male, 1,164 for female and 3,766 combined will be established for the facilitation of voters.

Similarly, 16,509 polling booths, including 9,218 for male and 7,291 for female, will also be set up to facilitate young and female voters.

Out of these polling stations, 1,646 were declared most sensitive and 2,326 sensitive, where elaborate security arrangements are being made.

Elections for the seats of the mayor and chairman of tehsil and city councils, besides different categories of members in tehsils, village and neighbourhood councils, will be held in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts on March 31.

The ECP has started a series of awareness workshops with the assistance of press clubs and media to mobilise voters for the LG election.

In this connection, awareness workshops were held at South Waziristan, Peshawar, Buner, Chitral, Malakand, Swat, Kurrum and Bajaur tribal districts.