Bar elections held amid Covid-19 fears

Supporters form long queues to persuade lawyers to vote for their favourites

LAHORE:

Enthusiasm in the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) elections appeared to dominate the fear of the Covid-19 pandemic as most voters and contestants were seen without face masks and with no social distance as they assembled at Lahore High Court to exercise their right of vote.

The supporters, following the tradition, were seen requesting the voters to vote for their favourite candidates in the elections held across the province on Saturday.

Carrying visiting cards and flowers, the supporters of candidates assembled in long queues at the gates of the high court and along the routes leading to the polling booths. Some candidates also got printed their names on face masks and asked their supporters to wear them while canvassing with the visiting cards throughout the day.

There were total 47 polling booths set up at the LHC, where lawyers exercised their right of vote. Some supporters also chanted slogans in favour of their candidates and groups.

Women lawyers also displayed badges of their favourite candidates and stood in the long queues seeking votes from the voters.

In an indication of an interesting contest, the supporters of almost all candidates requesting for votes for them seemed confident of their victory. They also expressed their full confidence over arrangements made for conducting the elections.

There were 399 candidates across the province in the provincial bar council elections, while there were over 106,000 registered voters. The lawyers exercised their right of vote to elect 75 candidates in the PbBC elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2020.