HYDERABAD, Aug 17: A total of 7,468 candidates are in the run for six categories of union councils in six districts of defunct Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions. As many as 2,530 polling stations have been set up in the districts and, according to the Hyderabad region police, around 40 per cent of the polling stations have been declared sensitive.

A total of 5,203 candidates are contesting for six categories in four districts of the Mirpurkhas division whereas 487 candidates have returned unopposed unofficially.

Fifty-three seats have remained vacant in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Sanghar districts.

There are 427,406 voters, including 190,918 women, in the Mirpurkhas district, having 41 union councils and six talukas. Of them, 116,929 are non-Muslim voters, including 49,447 women.

In Sanghar district’s 55 union councils and six talukas, the number of voters is 598,203, including 275,727 women. They include 90,549 non-Muslim voters, 39,864 of whom are women.

In Umerkot, having 27 union councils and four talukas, there are 304,234 voters, including 139,510 women. Of them, 122,015 are non-Muslim voters who include 53,988 women.

There are 405,527 voters in Tharparkar district’s 44 union councils and four talukas, including 178,164 women. Of them, 163,461 are non-Muslim voters, including 69,141 women.

In Mirpurkhas, 739 of 1,882 candidates are contesting for Muslim general seats, 215 for Muslim general seats (women), 369 for peasant/worker seats, 159 peasant/worker seats(women) and 222 for minority seats while there are 88 pairs of nazim/naib nazim candidates.

In Sanghar, 609 of 1385 candidates are in the run for Muslim general seats, 177 for Muslim general seats (women), 255 for peasant/worker seats, 122 for peasant/worker seats (women) and 84 for minority seats with 69 pairs of nazim/naib nazim candidates.

Of 1,332 contestants in Umerkot, 484 are vying for Muslim general seats, 150 for Muslim general seats (women), 346 for peasant/worker seats, 150 for peasant/worker seats (women) and 180 for minority seats with 11 pairs of nazim/naib nazim.

One candidate for a Muslim general seat (woman), 12 peasant/worker candidates (woman), six minority candidates and one pair of nazim/naib nazim have returned unopposed in the Mirpurkhas district.

In Sanghar, 38 candidates for seats of Muslim general, 32 for seats of Muslim general (women), 30 for peasant/worker seats, 40 for peasant/worker seats (women), 34 for minority seats and 15 pairs of nazim/naib nazim have returned unopposed.

In Umerkot, two candidates each for seats of Muslim general (women) and peasant/worker (women), five for minority seats and four pairs of nazim/naib nazim have returned unopposed.

In the Tharparkar district, 67 candidates have been elected unopposed on Muslim general seats, 37 on Muslim general seats (women), 44 on peasant/worker seats (men), 52 on peasant/worker seats (women), 35 on minority seats and 30 pairs of nazim/naib nazim.

Vacant seats include one each Muslim general and minority (woman), four peasant/worker (women) and three minority (men) in Sanghar; one each non-Muslim general (men) and minority and two non-Muslim general (women) in Mirpurkhas; two Muslim general (women), one peasant/worker (woman), 10 minority and 14 minority (women) in Tharparkar; and 12 non-Muslim general (women) in Umerkot.

In Thatta district’s 55 union councils and eight talukas, there are 524,298 voters, including 221,011 women, whereas in three talukas and 19 union councils of the Tando Allahyar district, there are 184,997 voters, including 87,716 women.

There are 2,265 candidates in Tando Allahyar and Thatta districts, 1,400 candidates in Thatta and 865 in Tando Allahyar.

In Thatta, 560 candidates are contesting for Muslim general seats, 186 for Muslim general seats (women), 265 for peasant/worker seats, 120 for peasant/worker seats (women), 47 for minority seats and 111 pairs of nazim/naib nazim. Three seats of peasant/worker (women) and four of minority remained vacant.

In Tando Allahyar, 331 candidates are contesting for Muslim general seats, 100 for Muslim general seats (women), 176 for peasant/worker seats, 73 for peasant/worker seats (women), 75 for minority seats and 55 pairs of nazim/naib nazim. The nazim and naib nazim of union council-IV and Bukera Sharif have returned unopposed.