Oft delayed LG poll campaigns stay dull

With five days left in polling day corner meetings, door-to-door canvasing yet to start

KARACHI:

The campaign for the oft delayed local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad disvions remain lackluster.

Despite the fact that, only five days have been left in the conduct of the municipal elections, but still no electoral activities could be seen at the regional level. Some parties held rallies, but corner meetings and door-to-door campaigns could not be started.

Election campaigning will be prohibited after 12pm on January 13. About 9,000 candidates from seven districts of Karachi are in the election field for the post of chairman, vice chairman and ward members in 246 union councils. At least 17 candidates, who were going to contest the election, have passed away.

Polling for the second phase of local body elections in Sindh was first announced on July 24, August 28 and then October 23, but due to rain, floods and security reasons, the elections have been postponed a number of times. Due to the postponement of local body elections for almost 6 months, there is still uncertainty among the candidates and citizens, despite the fact that, all arrangements have been completed for polling on January 15.

There are 8,405,475 voters in Karachi and 5,000 polling stations have been set up. All polling stations are declared sensitive and high sensitive and not a single polling station has been declared normal.

Seven districts of Karachi division have been divided into 25 towns. District central is the largest district with five towns and 45 union committees where there are 2076,073.

District east is the second largest district with five towns and 43 union committees and 1,454,415. Korangi town has four towns, 37 union committees and 1,452,722 registered voters.

In district west there are three towns, 33 union committees and 909,187 registered voters. Similarly, there are three towns, 32 union committees 844,851 registered voters in Keamari district, while three towns, 30 union committees and 743,205 registered voters in Malir district, while in South district there are two towns, 26 union committees and 995,054 registered voters.

According to the data, there are 1,040 candidates in Malir district, 1,450 in Korangi, 1,579 in east, 876 in south, 1,144 in west, 1,781 in central and 1,258 in Keamari district contesting in the upcoming local government elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2023.