PESHAWAR (Web Desk): Local body elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) commenced early Saturday morning whereby 41,762 seats are to be contested by 84,420 candidates.
The K-P Election Commission earlier directed political parties and independent candidates to strictly abide by the code of conduct for the polls on election day.
Although strict security and measures were taken for the elections, it is taking one voter over five minutes to vote, sources revealed.
Asif Khan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporter outside a polling station at FG Colony Hassan Garhi told The Express Tribune that people are taking a long time to vote and.
“You have to show them what symbol on ballot paper they have to stamp,” he said. “They can see and recognise among the numerous symbols on seven different ballot papers,” he added.
Aspirants were also requested on Friday to abstain from further campaigning.
“The election commission will take action against political parties and candidates if they campaign or violate the code of conduct on polling day,” Election Commission of Pakistan K-P Public Relations Officer Sohail Ahmad told The Express Tribune.
Each voter will have the opportunity to cast seven different ballots and the EC has directed officials to ensure proper discipline in the stations to avoid any confusion. The aim is to conduct polls in a peaceful manner to allow everyone to exercise their right to vote.
According to the ECP’s data, there are also 3,339 seats for minorities in K-P, but only 349 candidates are contesting. Moreover, there are a total of 503 neighbourhood and 2,836 village councils for which the election would be held on a non-party basis, while polls on the district and tehsil level would be party-based.
Further, according to Radio Pakistan more than eleven thousand two hundred polling stations have been set up where more than 13 million registered voters are set to cast their votes.
