Pak assemblies to be dissolved today, polls on Jan 6

Islamabad, Nov 18: The next general elections for the national and provincial assemblies will be held on January 6, sources have said. It has been proposed that nomination papers should be received from candidates between November 20 and 25. The Chief Election Commissioner will announce the election schedule at a news conference on November 19.

"The Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan Governments and assemblies are going to be dissolved today. The three Governors will dissolve the assemblies on the advice of the Chief Ministers," an official said.

The NWFP Assembly has already been dissolved in early October. The official said that returning officers would receive nomination papers from candidates up to November 25-26 and would take seven days for scrutiny of papers in the presence of candidates or their nominees.

He said that appeals against the rejection or acceptance of nomination papers would be received in four days and returning officers would decide on appeals a week after the last date of receiving appeals.

"After decisions on appeals, only one day will be given for withdrawal of nomination papers and the next day returning officers will issue final lists of candidates according to which ballot papers will be printed," The News quoted the official, as saying.

"The election campaign will start around December 10 and polling will be held on January 6 (Sunday) in all provinces," he added. The official said that arrangements for general elections had been finalised and 430,000 ballot boxes, imported from China, were being sent to provinces. ANI>