ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: For three National Assembly seats in the federal capital, returning officers in Islamabad issued 82 nomination forms, whereas candidates interested in contesting elections in Rawalpindi will start receiving nomination papers from today (Wednesday).

The administration said that District Returning Officer Irfan Nawaz Memon monitored the issuance of the nomination forms by the returning officers to the candidates. Tuesday was the first day for the issuance of the nomination papers for the three constituencies in Islamabad: NA-46, NA-47, and NA-48.

The ROs issued 35 nomination forms for NA-48, 34 for NA-47, and 13 for NA-46. Public notices were also displayed outside the offices of the ROs. A statement said that a candidate could submit a maximum of five nomination papers with different recommenders and endorsers. The fee for the submission of the nomination papers is Rs30,000 and is non-refundable. The nomination papers can be submitted from December 20 to December 22 from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

The candidate must attach a certified copy of the CNIC of his recommender and endorser along with the nomination paper. The nomination fee from the candidate can be paid in cash directly to ROs, by bank draft in the name of the ROs, or at any National Bank Branch. For the election expenses, the statement said that the candidate shall either open an exclusive bank account in any scheduled bank or submit details of the existing bank account with the nomination papers.

Rawalpindi offices become functional, to start distribution of papers today

In Attock, candidates started collecting their nomination papers from respective district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs). PML-N aspirant candidate Sheikh Aftab Ahmed and Jamaat-i-Islami’s Iqbal Khan received their nomination papers for N-49 (Attock-I), while JI’s Mian Muhammad Junaid got nomination papers for the provincial assembly constituency, PP-3 (Attock).

Pindi offices become functional today

In Rawalpindi, however, the district returning office became functional on Tuesday, but the candidates will get nomination papers from today. The returning and assistant returning officers appointed for the upcoming general elections have also taken charge of their duties.

An official of the district election commission told Dawn that work would start from today. He said that the nomination forms could be collected from ROs, the election commission’s offices, as well as the ECP’s website. He said that for the submission of the nomination papers, the candidate would have to appear before the RO.

For this purpose, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema has been appointed as the district returning officer, while returning officers (ROs) and assistant returning officers (AROs) have been appointed for seven constituencies of the National Assembly and 14 constituencies of the provincial assembly in Rawalpindi, including Murree.

Three women are also included in the returning and assistant returning officers appointed in Rawalpindi district. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Dr Safdar Hussain has been appointed as returning officer for NA-52 (Rawalpindi I). Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Nabil Riaz for NA-53 (Rawalpindi II). Parks and Horticulture Authority Director General Ahmed Hasan Ranjha for NA-54 (Rawalpindi III), Additional Commissioner (Revenue) Ahad Dogar for NA-55 (Rawalpindi IV), and Additional Commissioner (Coordination) Syed Nuzraat Ali has been appointed returning officer NA-56.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan, nomination papers will be submitted from December 20 to December 22 and scrutiny of nomination papers by the ROs will be held from December 24 to December 30. The last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of the nomination papers has been set for January 3 and the last date for decision on appeals by the tribunal has been set for January 10. The revised list of candidates will be released on January 11, 2024, election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on January 13, while the general elections across the country will be held on February 8, 2024.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2023