Candidates vying to contest the General Election 2018 have until 4pm today to submit their party tickets while those unwilling to take part in the polls can withdraw their nomination papers by the same deadline.
After election tribunals wrapped up verdicts on appeals against objections to the decisions of returning officers on June 27, the revised list of candidates was issued on June 28.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said today that it will announce the polling scheme and final list of candidates with electoral symbols tomorrow.
It is mandatory for the candidates to submit their party tickets in order to be allotted electoral symbols. Those who fail to do so will be considered independent candidates.
The ECP stated that the final list of candidates will be displayed at the offices of the returning officers and district returning officers tomorrow, following which it will be uploaded on the commission’s website.
Moreover, the electoral body asserted that candidates will have a total of 23 days to hold their campaigns, as all campaigning will seize 48 hours before polling.
The elections are scheduled to be held on July 25, 2018 from 8am to 6pm.
Poll preparations
Preparations of the upcoming elections are under way, with the ECP making arrangments to ensure smooth and transparent elections.
On June 26, the polling scheme for Lahore was finalised, which contained constituency-wise lists of polling stations, number of registered voters, and other relevant details. Similar schemes for other areas are yet to be announced.
The printing of ballot papers will commence from July 1 at printing presses in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi under the supervision of the army.
According to sources, 210 million ballot papers will be printed with more than Rs2 billion being spent on the exercise, making it the most expensive venture in the history of the country’s elections.
The ballot papers are said to carry a watermark, something which none of the previous papers had.
The distribution of ballot papers will also be conducted under the army’s supervision.
The ECP has also requested the Defence Ministry to deploy 350,000 army personnel to be posted inside and outside the polling stations. The troops will be deployed for a total of four days leading upto the election day.
ECP has also ordered provincial governments to provide security to all candidates and political leaders.
