PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi has scheduled a session of the provincial assembly for July 20, just one day before the Senate elections are set to take place.
The governor signed the summary on Thursday, officially convening the session. This meeting will include the swearing-in ceremony for 25 newly nominated members on reserved seats. These seats include representatives from women and minority groups.
The session is significant as it precedes the Senate polls scheduled for July 21. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) earlier released the election schedule in the first week of July.
According to the ECP, elections will be held for 11 Senate seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, comprising seven general seats, two reserved for women, and two for technocrats or ulema.
The polling will take place inside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly building. Members of the provincial assembly will cast their votes to elect new senators for these seats.
This upcoming session will help complete the voting strength in the KP Assembly ahead of the election. Once the 25 reserved-seat members take their oath, they will also be eligible to participate in Senate voting.
In addition to the regular elections, a Senate seat previously held by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Sania Nishtar has also become vacant. The ECP has included this seat in the upcoming election.
It is expected that political activity in the province will increase over the next few days as parties prepare for the Senate elections. The July 20 assembly session will be key in ensuring all elected members are present and eligible to vote.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s composition plays a crucial role in electing senators from the province, especially in a politically divided house.
The provincial government has also been advised to make all necessary arrangements for the smooth conduct of both the assembly session and the Senate elections.
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