Women voting: Gross mismanagement at polling stations
Highest turnout of female voters recorded in Peshawar, lowest in Mardan.
The organisation had recorded an increase in the turnout of female voters on May 11 in comparison to the 2008 elections. PHOTO: INP
PESHAWAR:
While there was a considerable increase in the turnout of female voters, women still faced challenges in casting their ballots, according to a report released on Monday by Aware Girls, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The NGO, which is funded by the Australian High Commission, observed a total of 64 female polling stations in Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi on Election Day and identifed problems faced by women during voting.
Talking to the media at the Peshawar Press Club, Aware Girls Chairperson Gulalai Ismail said the organisation had recorded an increase in the turnout of female voters on May 11 in comparison to the 2008 elections.
From the 21 stations monitored by the NGO in the city, the highest turnout recorded was 69% while the lowest was 24.2%, she said.
In Swabi, Aware Girls observed 20 female polling stations and the highest turnout was 20% while not a single vote was cast in one of the stations under observation.
A total of 23 stations were monitored in Mardan, where Sarkhabi polling station was shut down by the locals. However, in the remaining 22 stations, 6.8% turnout was recorded – the lowest among the three districts.
“Women were made to take oaths on the Quran to vote for a specific candidate or not to vote at all,” claimed Gulalai, adding at a station in Rashkai, Mardan the number of female votes exceeded the number of registered voters.
She said the polling staff was untrained and not well-equipped to carry out their assigned duties. There was a lack of female security officers to control the crowd and mismanagement was observed at every polling station, added Gulalai.
A detailed report will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2013.
While there was a considerable increase in the turnout of female voters, women still faced challenges in casting their ballots, according to a report released on Monday by Aware Girls, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The NGO, which is funded by the Australian High Commission, observed a total of 64 female polling stations in Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi on Election Day and identifed problems faced by women during voting.
Talking to the media at the Peshawar Press Club, Aware Girls Chairperson Gulalai Ismail said the organisation had recorded an increase in the turnout of female voters on May 11 in comparison to the 2008 elections.
From the 21 stations monitored by the NGO in the city, the highest turnout recorded was 69% while the lowest was 24.2%, she said.
In Swabi, Aware Girls observed 20 female polling stations and the highest turnout was 20% while not a single vote was cast in one of the stations under observation.
A total of 23 stations were monitored in Mardan, where Sarkhabi polling station was shut down by the locals. However, in the remaining 22 stations, 6.8% turnout was recorded – the lowest among the three districts.
“Women were made to take oaths on the Quran to vote for a specific candidate or not to vote at all,” claimed Gulalai, adding at a station in Rashkai, Mardan the number of female votes exceeded the number of registered voters.
She said the polling staff was untrained and not well-equipped to carry out their assigned duties. There was a lack of female security officers to control the crowd and mismanagement was observed at every polling station, added Gulalai.
A detailed report will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2013.