Polling for the second phase of the local government elections in the remaining 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa completed on Thursday, and vote counting is continuing under heavy security to prevent any untoward incidents.
The governing PTI suffered a huge blow in the first round of local government elections in KP, which were conducted in December, with the opposition parties, notably JUI-F, winning a clean victory.
JUI-F had unexpectedly emerged as the leading party, with 23 tehsil chairman positions and three mayoral seats. However, with just one mayoral seat and 18 tehsil chairman seats, KP’s governing party PTI came in second.
Polling for the second phase began at 8 a.m. and finished at 5 p.m., with no interruptions.
In the polls being held in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts, a total of 28,020 candidates are running for various categories.
For the first time, LG elections are being conducted in the former tribal districts of Kurram, Orakzai, North, and South Waziristan.
The polling sites that have been designated as sensitive and most sensitive have received increased security, according to The News.
Over 8 million people are anticipated to utilise their right to vote.
According to the ECP, voting will take place in 65 tehsils across 18 districts, with a total of 80,57,474 registered voters exercising their right to vote, with 44,89,771 male voters and 35,67,703 female voters.
Out of the 6,176 polling stations, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has designated 1,646 as “most sensitive,” 2,326 as “sensitive,” and 2,069 as “normal.” Across the province, adequate security precautions have been implemented for the most important and sensitive voting places.
According to the ECP, there were 39,554 applicants contending for 12,875 seats.
651 candidates have filed nomination papers for city mayor and tehsil chairman seats, 12,980 for general and neighbourhood councils, 2,668 for women seats, 6,451 for labour, 5,213 for Kisan and youth seats, and 57 for religious minority seats.
In 65 tehsils, a total of 1,318 candidates were elected uncontested, according to the election body.
In Village and Neighborhood Councils, 351 candidates ran uncontested for general seats, 533 for women seats, 151 for labour and Kisan seats, 233 for youth seats, and 50 for minority seats.
Arrangements are finished.
The election process is being personally overseen by the Chief Election Commissioner, ECP secretary, and special secretary, who have completed all plans.
Under stringent security, all voting materials, including ballot papers, polling bags, and polling workers, were delivered to all polling sites.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Special Assistant to the CM on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the government had completed all preparations for election day and that foolproof security would be provided to 8.057 million people exercising their right to vote in a peaceful environment.
He claimed that, in comparison to the first round of the election, women candidates had been given more protection, and that Pakistan army soldiers will be deployed if necessary.
During the first round of the election in December, the ECP raised worry about law and order at several polling sites, after which security was beefed up.
Schools in districts where the local government election will be held on Thursday will be closed, according to district administrations.
Section 144 is imposed by the district administration.
On the advice of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police department, Section 144 has been implemented in 18 districts of the province where voting is still ongoing.
Exhibition of guns, public rallies and meetings, display of inflammatory banners and posters, access of male agents into female voting stations, and use of mobile phones in polling stations are all prohibited during the elections, according to several notices issued by the local government.
The public is asked to work with police, district administrations, and polling officials in polling districts to ensure the smooth conduct of the second phase of local government elections.
A control room has been built to keep the peace during the local body election.
To guarantee the smooth conduct of local body elections, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has constructed an emergency control centre in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
Muhsin Iqbal, Deputy Secretary, CM Secretariat, has been named as the control room’s focal person, according to a notice published on Wednesday.
The emergency control centre will liaise with stakeholders on information and emergencies, as well as notify the CM and take measures to avoid any unfortunate incidents during the elections.