ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan has urged the members of Punjab Assembly to elect a member for the Senate from the province against a general seat.

According to ECP, the seat has fallen vacant due to the resignation tendered by Ch Mohammad Sarwar after his appointment as Governor Punjab and fixed the schedule of election process as polling will be held on October 3 at the Provincial Assembly building, Lahore.

The public notice by Returning Officer inviting nomination papers will be issued on September 11 while September 13 will be the last date for filing nomination papers by the candidates with the Returning Officer.

The date for publication of names of the nominated candidates will be September 14 while the last date for scrutiny of nomination papers will be September 16.

The last date for filing of appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers will be September 18 while the last date for disposal of appeals by the tribunal will be September 20.

The last date publication of revised list of candidates will be September 24 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be September 25. PML-N had emerged as the single largest party in Senate after elections in March.

As many as 15 candidates backed by the PML-N, 12 Pakistan People’s Party, 10 independents, six PTI candidates, two candidates of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and National Party each, one candidate from each of MQM, Jamaat-i-Islami and PML-F returned successful on the 52 of the 104 Senate seats.

The overall strength of each party following the election was 33 PML-N-backed candidates, 20 PPP candidates, 15 independent candidates, 12 PTI candidates, five candidates of MQM, PkMAP and NP each, four candidates of JUI-F, two candidates of JI, and one candidate from each of the PML-F, ANP and Balochistan National Party-Mengal in the house of 104 members. The parties which have lost representation in the upper house are PML-Q and BNP-Awami.