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Frankenstein of css · #8 Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Local Government Elections 2005Union Level Elections
Union Nazims, Naib Union Nazims and members of Union Councils were elected through direct elections based on adult franchise and on the basis of joint electorate in two phases in all Provinces on the following polling dates:

Phase – I. In 54* Districts on 18th August, 2005.
Phase – II. In 56 Districts on 25th August, 2005.
* In District Ghotki Elections were stayed by Sindh High Court.

District/Tehsil/Taluka/Town Level Elections

Zila Nazims, Tehsil and Town Nazims , women, peasants & workers and minorities members against reserved seats in the Zila Councils and Tehsil/Town Councils were elected by their respective electoral college, comprising members of Union Councils including Union Nazims and Naib Union Nazim in all districts, except District Ghotki on 6th Oct, 2005

Conclusions:

Nominations showed substantial increase with the maximum increase in the category of Peasants and Workers followed by Muslim General, Muslim General (Women) and Peasants & Workers (Women). Districts like Dir and Malakand have shown marked improvement particularly in case of women nominations.

Number of candidates returned unopposed on all seats has considerably reduced except in the case of minorities, which in case of NWFP and Balochistan could be attributed to scanty minorities’ population in these provinces.

Certain areas of Balochistan maintained their earlier pattern of filling all seats through unopposed candidates because of strong tribal hold.

The vacant seats in all categories considerably reduced in all the provinces.

32 women elected as Nazim and Naib Nazim

There was about 5% decrease in voter’s turnout in Punjab where bulk of country’s population (56%) resides. The voter’s turnout registered about 4% decrease in Sindh and 3% in NWFP and about 2% decrease in Balochistan. The overall decrease in voter’s turnout as compared to first local government elections was about 5% which could be attributed to reduction of seats in the Unions from 21 to 13. However as compared with the last General Elections-2002, the voters turnout during Local Government Election 2005 showed an increase of about 6%.

The increase in nominations, decrease in unopposed returned candidates and vacant seats and high voters turnout reflect on the enhanced people’s participation in the Local Government Elections, 2005 was indicative of their growing interest / confidence in the local government system, which augur well for the reform turning into a political movement.