35 seats up for grabs in crucial by-polls today

9.2 million voters eligible to cast ballots at 7,489 polling stations


Our Correspondents October 13, 2018
Polling will take place in 35 constituencies; 11 from the National Assembly and 24 from the provincial assemblies. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: Crucial by-elections are being held today (Sunday) in 35 constituencies of the national and provincial legislatures amid heightened security.

The polling will start at 8am and will continue till 5pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has printed 9.5 million ballot papers for the by-elections in which 641 candidates are contesting.

Some 9208,374 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the polling today for which 7,489 polling stations have been set up. Of these, 1,727 polling stations have been declared extremely sensitive. Closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) have been installed at sensitive polling stations.

By-election will be safe, free and fair: Punjab CM

More than 40,000 troops of the Pakistan Army will perform their duties together with 100,000 personnel of police and other law-enforcement agencies.  According to the ECP, the army troops will be present in and outside the polling station to deal with any unpleasant event. Delivery of ballot papers and other stuff to the polling stations was also done under the army’s supervision.

The ECP has directed the Ministry of Power that there should be no load shedding during the polling in the relevant constituencies. The ECP has also issued code of conduct for the security staff, according to which security staff will operate under the returning and presiding officers.

However, the security officials will not intervene in the counting process of the ballot papers. Voters will have to bring their original computerized national identity card (CNICs) in order to cast their vote. Votes can also be casted on the expired CNICs.

The ECP has banned mobile phone, cameras and handbags inside the polling station. Mobile phones of the presiding officers have been attached to result transmission system (RTS).

The ECP has written a letter to four provincial election commissioners that after completion of the result counting process, the results will be sent to the ROs and the ECP through the RTS.

According to the ECP, voter passwords have been issued to 7,364 internet voters for the by-elections, while the ECP has formed a control room for overseas Pakistani’s guidance. The ECP has instructed registered ‘I-voters’ to contact control room if they have not received their passwords yet.

By-election will be safe, free and fair: Punjab CM

Lahore battlefield

By-elections will be held in Lahore’s NA-124, NA-131 and PP-164 and PP-165 constituencies.

Saad Rafique of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Humayun Akhtar of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will lock horns for NA-131 seat while PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PTI’s Ghulam Mohiuddin will vie for NA-124 seat.

PTI’s Muhammad Yousuf will compete against PML-N's Sohail Shaukat Butt in the Punjab Assembly’s PP-164 constituency while PML-N’s Saiful Malook will face PTI’s Mansha Sindhu in PP-165 constituency. A tough competition is expected on these seats between the PML-N and PTI candidates. Some 11, 75,832 voters will cast votes for the four seats for which 12, 14,000 ballot papers have been printed.

According to the ECP, voters can get information regarding their vote, polling station and election constituency by texting their CNIC number to 8300. The ECP has directed the media not to air unofficial results before 6pm

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