PESHAWAR: Stage is set for holding by-elections to fill 43 vacant seats in 40 village/neighbourhood councils in 14 districts across the province on Wednesday.

Around 152,000 voters would exercise their right to franchise for which 132 polling stations having 362 polling booths have been set up. A total of 135 presiding officers, 362 assistant presiding officers and 362 polling officers will perform their duties. The districts where polling will take place include Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Abbottabad, Battagram, Swat, Buner, Shangla and Upper Dir. Seats for which polling will be held include: 34 general seats, six seats reserved for youth and three seats reserved for peasants and workers.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmad has asked voters to visit their respective polling stations and exercise their right to vote without any fear.

He said that foolproof security measures had been adopted for the by-polls. The Election Commission of Pakistan had also directed the KP chief secretary to announce public holiday in the relevant village/ neighbourhood councils so people could conveniently panicipate in the polls.-Bureau repon