The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has unveiled the number of candidates who filed nomination papers for the 2024 general elections as well as the number of nomination papers rejected and accepted by the top electoral body.
As per the details made public by the ECP, nomination papers of 6,449 candidates have been sanctioned, including 6,094 male candidates and 355 females, for National Assembly seats from Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad Capital Territory.
The returning officers (ROs) have rejected the documents of 1,024 candidates, including 934 men and 90 women, for NA seats. A total of 7,473 candidates filed nomination papers, including 445 women for the said assembly.
The ROs appointed by the electoral body approved 16,262 nomination papers for the four provincial assemblies, out of the documents submitted by 18,478 candidates, including 17,670 male and 808 female.
Nomination papers of 2,216 candidates, including 2,081 men and 135 women, failed to get approval of ROs for provincial assemblies.
Overall, 22,711 nomination papers for NA and provincial assemblies general seats have been approved, the ECP said adding that 21,684 of them are men and 1,027 women. A total of 25,951 papers were submitted.
The commission said ROs repudiated the nomination papers of 3,240 candidates from national and provincial assemblies, including 3,015 male candidates and 225 females.
Meanwhile, the electoral watchdog on Monday wrote a letter to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) seeking action against media channels violating the code of conduct for the February 8 polls. The letter stated that it was observed some media channels were airing poll surveys, a practice that is “explicitly prohibited under Clause 12 of ECP’s Code of Conduct for National Media”. According to the said clause, any media person on print, electronic and social media “shall not obstruct the election process and must display their accreditation cards provided by the Election Commission”.
The ECP elaborated that the clause emphasises that both print and social media should refrain from conducting polls and surveys at polling stations or constituencies.
“Such activities have the potential to influence voters’ free choice and may disrupt the electoral process,” the electoral watchdog stated. It subsequently urged Pemra to take “prompt and immediate action” against electronic media channels in strict alignment with Clause 12 of the ECP’s Code of Conduct for National Media.
“A compliance report in this regard shall also be shared with this office as soon as possible for placing before the Election Commission,” the letter added.
