Lahore: The much-anticipated by-election to fill the vacant Senate seat representing Punjab will be held tomorrow within the Punjab Assembly chamber.
A comprehensive guideline has been issued to ensure the smooth conduct of the election. Members must present their assembly identity cards to receive their ballot papers, which will be issued by the Returning Officer, who will record each voter's name and constituency in the official counter file. The ballot papers will list the candidates' names alphabetically in Urdu script.
Voting will take place in a private setting within the chamber, with strict rules in place to maintain secrecy and integrity. Members are prohibited from talking to other voters or candidates during the process. Mobile phones are not allowed inside the polling stations; if brought, they must be handed over to polling officers.
Voters are instructed to use only Urdu or English numerals to indicate their preferences. Failure to mark the number "1" or marking multiple candidates with "1" will invalidate the vote. Any markings that could reveal the voter's identity are also grounds for invalidation.
The election features several candidates: Hafiz Abdul Karim from the ruling party and allied groups, opposition candidate Mehr Abdul Sattar, along with independent contenders Khadija Siddiqui and Ejaz Hussain. Currently, 369 members are present in the assembly, with opposition member Mian Aslam Iqbal notably absent as he has not yet taken the oath.
The polling process aims to uphold transparency and fairness in accordance with Article 226 of the Constitution, emphasizing the importance of a secret ballot in the election of this crucial legislative seat.
All assembly members are required to participate in the secret ballot voting process, which is scheduled from 9 AM to 4 PM.
