ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced Thursday the schedule for the upcoming Senate elections on 48 seats, which will be held on April 2.
According to the electoral body’s agenda, returning officers (ROs) will issue a public notice today requesting potential candidates to submit their nomination papers. This will be followed by a vetting procedure, appealing
The development comes as the ECP stated on Monday that it will hold elections for Senate seats that became vacant after the incumbent senators’ six-year terms expired on March 11. However, the elections would only be contested on 48 seats, as four reserved seats for the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were eliminated with the 25th Constitutional Amendment.
Members of the Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, and Punjab assemblies will vote on candidates for seven general seats, two women, and two seats for technocrats, including Ulema.
The Punjab and Sindh assemblies would also vote for one non-Muslim representative apiece.
Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly will elect a senator for one general seat and one for technocrats, including Ulema from the federal capital, the statement said.
As per the ECP schedule,
The nomination papers must be submitted between March 15 and 16.
The list of nominated candidates is published on March 17.
March 19 — The deadline for reviewing nomination paperwork.
March 21 is the deadline for filing appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations.
The tribunal’s deadline for deciding appeals is March 25.
March 26—Publication of revised list of candidates.
March 27 — Date for withdrawal of candidature.
April 2 — Polling day.
The polling for the Senate elections will be conducted in Islamabad’s Parliament House as well as in all four provincial assemblies from 9am to 4pm.
