Summary The offices of the District Returning Officers remained crowded throughout the day.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Election Commission of Pakistan has extended the deadline for submission of nomination papers by 12AM tonight (Sunday).
Earlier, the candidates were directed to submit papers by 4PM today. The offices of the District Returning Officers remained crowded throughout the day.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start scrutiny of the nomination papers from tomorrow (Monday) and has asked different organisations to provide a list of those defaulting on their dues.
The election candidates along with their supporters were seen gathered around the ECP offices holding party flags and chanting slogans.
According to the ECP spokesman, till Saturday morning the Commission had received nomination papers of 3,261 candidates from across the country out of which 1,018 have been sent to the returning offices.
Around 40 candidates hailing from different political parties have so far submitted their nomination papers for two constituencies of the federal capital.
The ECP has set April 10 as the deadline for the filing of appeals against decisions of the returning officers rejecting or accepting the nomination papers.
The Election Tribunals will decide the fate of these appeals by April 17. The candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations by April 18.
After a thorough scrutiny, the ECP will publish the final revised list of candidates on April 19 which will follow the holding of elections on May 11, according to the schedule.
Meanwhile, in a notification, the ECP has asked the Water and Power Development Authority, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited, Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Limited, the National Telecommunication Cooperation, Ministry of Housing and Works and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to provide details of defaulters.
The notification has also been forwarded to the administrations of the Punjab House, KPK House, Sindh House and Balochistan House to provide details of those owing amounts.
Moreover, the private utility organisations have also been asked to provide list of defaulters as it would help the ECP for the scrutiny of the nomination papers of the candidates.
Separately, the ECP directed all returning officers to disqualify candidates displaying lethal weapons and carrying out aerial firing while submitting nomination papers.
