Polling for by-elections for 42 local government seats across 26 districts in Sindh province ended on Thursday after the culmination of the stipulation time limit.

The elections, held amidst stringent security measures, are taking place across the province, with a significant number of seats in Karachi and other major cities.

A total of 388 candidates are contesting for the 42 seats, while 31 seats have already been won unopposed. The remaining four seats remain vacant due to candidates failing to submit the correct documentation.

In Karachi’s six districts alone, 85 candidates are vying for seats, while the remaining 20 districts have 303 candidates competing.

The distribution of contested seats includes 10 in Karachi, 5 in Hyderabad, 4 each in Nawabshah and Sukkur, 2 each in Tando Muhammad Khan and Sukkur, and 1 each in several other districts including Larkana, Qamber Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Noshehra Feroze, Mirpur Khas, Matiari, and Thatta.

The Election Commission has designated 213 polling stations as highly sensitive and 50 as sensitive out of a total of 274 across the province. Security has been significantly heightened across all polling stations to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral process.

The by-elections are a crucial event in the Sindh local government system, with the results expected to impact local governance and development initiatives.