ISLAMABAD: The polling for the Senate election would be held on March 3, according to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday.

The nomination papers would be submitted from Feb 4 to Feb 6. The scrutiny of the papers would be held on Feb.9.

The final list of the candidates would be released on Feb 15 and those wanted to withdraw can do so till Feb 16.

Since the Elections Act, 2017, could not be extended to the federal capital and the tribal areas, the schedule for these regions could not be issued.

ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad said the Senate election would be held as per schedule and training of polling staff had already been completed by the ECP. He pointed out that the ECP had written to the government on Jan.2 for extension of the act to Islamabad and tribal areas.

The secretary said that printing of Senate elections material had been started while the ECP was working to finalise all necessary arrangements for holding of elections.

The tenure of 52 senators from four provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Islamabad is going to expire on March 11 after completion of their six-year term in the upper house of parliament.

These days, political parties are preparing to contest the Senate election. The senators will be elected by the provincial assemblies.