Electoral battle to be held on 2,369 seats in Hyderabad

Out of the total 3,021 seats, 652 have been won unopposed

HYDERABAD: Almost one fourth of the more than 3,000 seats up for contest in the local government (LG) elections in Hyderabad division, which consists of nine districts, have been won unopposed.

Around 35 per cent of them are only from the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC), which consists of two of the four talukas in Hyderabad district — City and Latifabad. With the candidates returning unchallenged on 652 seats out of the total 3,021 seats, the electoral battle will be held on 2,369 seats on November 19 as part of the second phase of the LG elections in Sindh.

The Hyderabad division consists of 68 municipal bodies, including a municipal corporation, nine district councils (DCs), 13 municipal committees (MCs) and 45 town committees (TCs). The HMC, where the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has secured over 210 seats without contest, is represented by 96 elected positions of chairperson and vice-chairperson and 384 of the ward councillors.



There are 344 slots of chairperson and vice-chairperson and as many members and 1,376 of general members in the nine district councils in Hyderabad division. The 13 MCs have a total 208 seats while the 45 TCs comprise 269 seats. Majority of the unopposed contestants in these municipal bodies belong to the Pakistan Peoples Party.

As many as 257 candidates have returned unopposed in Hyderabad, 82 in Jamshoro, 64 each in Dadu and Tando Allahyar, 61 in Badin, 59 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 34 in Sujawal, 23 in Matiari and eight in Thatta. The elections will be held on 387 seats in Hyderabad, 168 in Jamshoro, 415 in Dadu, 138 in Tando Allahyar, 437 in Badin, 137 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 219 in Sujawal, 204 in Matiari and 264 in Thatta.

Polling scheme

Over 4.2 million people, including 2.27 million men and 1.92 million women, are registered to vote in Hyderabad division.

The provincial election commission will set up 3,855 polling stations, among which, 764 will be for the male voters, 765 for female and 2,326 for combined. There will be 759 polling stations in Hyderabad, 768 in Badin, 603 in Dadu, 344 in Jamshoro, 306 in Thatta, 300 in Matiari, 298 in Sujawal, 286 in Tando Allahyar and 191 in Tando Muhammad Khan.

The 38,602 polling staff consists of 3,885 presiding officers, 22,473 assistant presiding officers, 11,518 polling officers and 726 naib quasids for the female presiding officers.

Preparations: Govt to ask for army presence 

The Sindh government has decided to request the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to deploy the armed forces in 15 districts where the second phase of the local government elections will be held on November 19. The provincial government has taken this decision after demands from various political parties following the fatal clashes in Khairpur.

The Sindh IG, chief secretary and home secretary will meet the provincial ECP chief on Monday and formally put forward a request, said Sindh Information Minister Nisar Khuhro, after Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah chaired a meeting at CM House on Wednesday. The government has decided to establish a Rapid Response Force, which will respond within seven minutes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.