Election misconduct: DRO’s report mum on whether PTI minister snatched ballot boxes
Findings show ballot papers were shifted to RO’s car, not the minister’s
PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
Two recent reports compiled by the DI Khan deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner make no mention of whether PTI minister Ali Amin Gandapur snatched ballot boxes from Hemath Adda polling station or not.
According to the first report submitted to ECP on June 4 by the DC, who also served as a district returning officer, PTI MPA Gandapur arrived at the polling station and found that the returning officer was supervising the vote-counting process.
“At 5am (May 31), the PTI MPA, his brother, Faisal Amin, and around 15 armed men entered the polling station,” read the report.
The DC ensured Gandapur that everything was under control and an RO was supervising the counting process. As per the report, the PTI MPA, who also serves as minister for revenue, insisted widespread rigging had taken place earlier at the polling station.
According to the report, “judging the sensitivity of the situation, the RO shifted ballot papers to his car which was parked outside the polling station”. Subsequently, the assistant commissioner asked the revenue minister to leave the polling station.
Another confirmation?
The second report submitted by Assistant Commissioner Salman Lodhi to the DC paints a broadly similar picture. According to this report, Gandapur was asked to leave the polling station and the minister did as he was told. However, it also does not mention that Gandapur had snatched ballot boxes.
On May 31, a report submitted to the regional police officer by DPO DI Khan pointed fingers at the PTI MPA for manhandling staff at Hemath Adda polling station.
Earlier this week, Gandapur was granted bail for two separate cases registered against him.
In the first case, the PTI minister was charged with abusing and threatening a police official. The judicial magistrate handed Gandapur over to police custody for a day.
The second case concerned the PTI minister’s attempts to interfere with the electoral process. In this case, the judicial magistrate also sent him to jail on judicial remand.
Gandapur is accused of allegedly abusing and threatening police officials and interrupting the vote counting process by stealing ballot boxes from Hemath Adda polling station.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2015.
Two recent reports compiled by the DI Khan deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner make no mention of whether PTI minister Ali Amin Gandapur snatched ballot boxes from Hemath Adda polling station or not.
According to the first report submitted to ECP on June 4 by the DC, who also served as a district returning officer, PTI MPA Gandapur arrived at the polling station and found that the returning officer was supervising the vote-counting process.
“At 5am (May 31), the PTI MPA, his brother, Faisal Amin, and around 15 armed men entered the polling station,” read the report.
The DC ensured Gandapur that everything was under control and an RO was supervising the counting process. As per the report, the PTI MPA, who also serves as minister for revenue, insisted widespread rigging had taken place earlier at the polling station.
According to the report, “judging the sensitivity of the situation, the RO shifted ballot papers to his car which was parked outside the polling station”. Subsequently, the assistant commissioner asked the revenue minister to leave the polling station.
Another confirmation?
The second report submitted by Assistant Commissioner Salman Lodhi to the DC paints a broadly similar picture. According to this report, Gandapur was asked to leave the polling station and the minister did as he was told. However, it also does not mention that Gandapur had snatched ballot boxes.
On May 31, a report submitted to the regional police officer by DPO DI Khan pointed fingers at the PTI MPA for manhandling staff at Hemath Adda polling station.
Earlier this week, Gandapur was granted bail for two separate cases registered against him.
In the first case, the PTI minister was charged with abusing and threatening a police official. The judicial magistrate handed Gandapur over to police custody for a day.
The second case concerned the PTI minister’s attempts to interfere with the electoral process. In this case, the judicial magistrate also sent him to jail on judicial remand.
Gandapur is accused of allegedly abusing and threatening police officials and interrupting the vote counting process by stealing ballot boxes from Hemath Adda polling station.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2015.