QUETTA: At least 2,332 candidates have been elected unopposed in Balochistan and now 4,350 seats are left to be contested for in the local government elections scheduled for Dec 7.
Provincial Election Commissioner Sultan Bayazid told Dawn that not a single candidate had filed nomination papers for 508 seats, falling in different areas of the province.
“In Awaran there are 121 town committee, union and district council seats but only 21 candidates have filed nomination papers,” he said adding that many seats in Kech district too are vacant because of law and order situation and the after-affects of earthquake that hit the two districts in September.
However, by-elections on 508 vacant seats will be conducted after the completion of electioneering process on 4,350 seats, Mr Bayazid said while reiterating his resolve that elections in Wadh tehsil, where an unruly mob burned the nomination papers on the last date, will also be held as usual on Dec 7.”
Candidates who filed their nominations in Dureji tehsil for municipal committee, four union council and three seats of Lasbela districts have all been elected unopposed, he said reminding that it was a record that polling could not conducted on any local bodies seats where candidates filed their nominations.
Nomination papers in Dureji tehsil have been filed on all municipal committee, four union council and three district council seats of Lasbela, he said while reminding that never ever in country’s history almost all candidates were elected unopposed.
There are 635 district council seats in the province out of which candidates on 140 seats have been elected unopposed while voting on remaining 3,090 seats will be held on the day, he said furthering that 1,939 candidates on 5,498 union council seats have merged unopposed.
“Meanwhile, elections on 469 vacant union councils will be held later,” he said.
However, 253 candidates out of 1,057 metropolitan corporation and municipal committees seats have been elected unopposed and candidatures on reserve seats for different categories will be announced once the election process was over, he said. Parties have been allotted election symbols after receiving the final list of candidates. The Provincial Election Commissioner assured of security in all areas, particularly sensitive areas such as Qila Abdullah, Loralai, Kachhi,
Bolan, Nasirabad and Makran division where each and option will be enforced for smooth and peaceful polling process. If needed, he said, Army will be deployed in sensitive districts.
The provincial government is all prepared for holding elections and Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad had also ensured full cooperation and support on the elections day, he said.