BYE-ELECTIONS IN CONSTITUENCY NO.NA-250 KARACHI-XII AND PS-71 DADU-I WERE HELD UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS IN FREE AND FAIR MANNER.
CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER
Islamabad, the 14th February, 2007.- Some news have appeared in a section of Press about alleged unfair conduct of bye-elections held in a National Assembly constituency of Karachi and a Provincial Assembly constituency of district Jamshoro. It is also being alleged that the list of polling personnel was not supplied to the Pakistan Peoples Party’s candidate and that at 36 polling stations some other persons performed the duties of Assistant Presiding Officers instead of Polling personnel deployed by the Election Commission. It is also being alleged that no action has been taken by the Election Commission on 40 complaints sent to it between the hours 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on the polling day.
Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Secretary Election Commission has clarified for information of general public that the Election Commission had appointed the District & Sessions Judges as District Returning Officers whereas, the Additional District & Sessions Judges were notified as Returning Officers to conduct the bye-elections in both the constituencies. As regards the allegation that the list of polling personnel was not provided to the PPPP candidate, it is clarified that such list has never been provided to any of the contesting candidates. Only the list of polling stations is notified and published in the official gazette by the District Returning Officer fifteen (15) days before the polling day for information of the candidates and the voters.
As to the allegation of non-response on the complaints regarding disruption or harassment at the polling stations, it is stated that about 70 complaints were received in the Election Commission of Pakistan Secretariat during the period 10:12 am and 6:52 pm on the day of poll i.e. 10th February, 2007. As soon as the complaints were received, the same were sent to the Chief Secretary, Government of Sindh for taking immediate necessary action and copies of the letters addressed to the Chief Secretary were endorsed to Miss. Sheery Rehman, MNA on her Balawal House, Karachi (Fax No.021/5371680) for her information. The Inspector General of Police, Sindh has also been directed by the Chief Election Commissioner to send his report regarding a few incidents of firing near the polling stations and the action taken against the culprits by the law enforcing agencies.
The allegation that on 36 polling stations the duties were performed by some other persons and not by the Assistant Presiding Officers deputed by the Election Commission, it is an allegation of general nature and the list of such polling stations has not been provided to ascertain the factual position. However, a report has been called for from the District Returning Officer (District & Sessions Judge Karachi South) in this regard.
The Secretary Election Commission has informed that six (6) Monitoring Teams were deputed by the Chief Election Commissioner to observe the proceedings of the Poll on the polling day. The Monitoring teams have submitted their reports according to which the polling commenced in a peaceful manner and all the polling agents of all the contesting candidates were present in the polling booths. The signatures of the polling agents have been obtained and are available on record. No untoward incident occurred inside the polling stations except two incidents of firing which were outside the vicinity of the polling stations. However, polling process continued uninterrupted during the polling hours.
The Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan has further clarified that all conceivable measures were taken by the Election Commission for free, fair and transparent conduct of Polls by deputing the law enforcing agencies outside all the Polling Stations for maintenance of law & order and orderly conduct of Polls civil armed forces, like Rangers and other law enforcing agencies kept on patrolling the constituency areas.