PESHAWAR: Voting commences here in the city at 8 AM today ? declared a holiday to provide convenience to the voters ? at NA-4 constituency?s 269 polling stations in what will be marked as the first time the country uses electronic voting machines (EVMs).

With posters, banners, and promotional material adorning the constituency?s roadways and the campaigning having ended two days prior, the by-election is perceived to be a litmus test for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) popularity in the province, especially in light of next year?s general elections.

According to the ECP, EVMs are to be used in 100 polling booths, along with the manual voting process. The male-to-female ratio of registered voters is nearly 3:2.

Six political and eight independent ones are vying for the MNA slot; they include PTI?s Arbab Amir Ayub, Asad Gulzary ? late incumbent Gulzar Khan?s son ? for Pakistan People?s Party (PPP), Awami National Party?s (ANP) Khushdil Khan, Jamaat-e-Islami?s (JI) Wisal Farooq, Tehreek-e-Labaik?s Allama Shafiq Amini, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz?s (PML-N) Nasir Khan Moosa Zai.

Real-time coverage follows after the infographic below