AJK vote re-count: Re-election held on Bhimber seat

Polling held on 50 stations under strict army and paramilitary vigilance.

MUZAFFARABAD:

Re-election on 50 polling stations in one of eight constituencies in Azad Kashmir legislative assembly was held under tight security  on Monday.

A large number army and paramilitary forces were deployed in LA-6 Bhimber-2  which comprises Samahni areas in southern Bhimber district.

“Army and paramilitary personnel and police were deployed at all polling stations to avert rigging and violence,” secretary AJK Election Commission Muhammad Younas told The Express Tribune.

He said polling was held in a peaceful manner but there attempts were made to snatch ballot boxes from the electoral staff after they were being shifted to Bhimber.

“Attempts were made to snatch ballot boxes as they were on their way to Bhimber from Samahni, but they were foiled and ballot boxes were shifted to the office of district returning officer safely” he added. He said that results for LA-6 Bhimber-2 will be announced after the finalisation of vote count.

Election  on 50 station in this constituency was cancelled polling staff was beat up and incidents of ballot box snatching. An independent candidate Ali Shan Soni was ahead of his Muslim League-N opponent Raja Razaq Khan.

Earlier, 10,000 fake votes were allegedly discovered from PML-N activists two days ago.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2011.