Islamabad: Bye-elections will be held on October 11 in two constituencies of the Pakistani National Assembly to fill seats that fell vacant after election commission dismissed two ruling party lawmakers.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (EC) said nomination papers will be received from prospective candidates on September 10 and 11.

Nominations will be scrutinised on September 14 and 15. Voting in the two constituencies, one in Lahore and the other in Ladhoran, both in the Punjab province, will be held on October 11.

An election tribunal first dismissed Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz who was elected to the National Assembly in 2013 general election from the Lahore constituency, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.

Ayaz, who remained Speaker of the National Assembly for more than two years, is likely to contest by-election in the same constituency.

But, Imran Khan, who had been elected to the National Assembly from multiple constituencies in 2013, has reportedly nominated a party member to run in the Lahore bye-election.

The political temperature has already started rising ahead of the bypoll, with PTI announcing a sit-in protest on October 4 outside the ECP main office in Islamabad.

Khan is demanding resignation of four provincial members of the ECP, holding them responsible for irregularities in the conduct of 2013 elections.

The irregularities were pointed out by a judicial inquiry commission that investigated allegations of rigging in 2013 and gave its reports in July in which it ruled that the polls were “largely” conducted fairly.

The tribunals that ousted the two PML-N lawmakers based their decisions on irregularities in the conduct of the polls.

The PML-N has accused PTI leader of trying to run away from the by-poll contest by initiating a protest movement against ECP members.

The main opposition Pakistan People’s Party is backing PTI demand, saying the ECP members have become too controversial and should thus step down.

The country’s constitution provides ECP members with security of tenure. The only way to remove an ECP member, other than the latter choosing to quit office, is by taking up the issue with the Supreme Judicial Council.