Summary CEC received fifteen complains of women being barred from casting their vote from Sindh and Punjab
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan said on Saturday that the election of those polling stations can be announced annulled where women were barred from voting. He was visiting a polling station in Rawalpindi, reported Dunya News.
According to details, CEC received fifteen complains of women being barred from casting their vote from Sindh and Punjab. He visited the polling stations at Saint Marry School and District Public School (DPS) along with other officials on the occasion of local body elections. Sardar Raza Khan inquired the polling staff about the situation of their polling stations. He expressed satisfaction on the better turn-out. It is worth mentioning here that ECP took notice when the news of women being barred from casting their votes in Khushab was highlighted by Dunya News.
Also read: Punjab LB polls: Women reportedly barred from voting in Khushab
The third and last phase of local body elections in Punjab was also not spared from mismanagement and other issues as women in the Khushab district were forbidden to cast their vote on Saturday.
According to details, the move came after the decision of the panchayat which prohibited the women from voting in union council Sandral and polling station Ghagh Kalan.
The Secretary to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Babar Yaqoob visited the control room established in federal capital to monitor electoral process.
CEC and Secretary CEC along with other officials also monitored electoral procedure at St. Mary School and Defence Public School.
While talking to media, Secretary CEC said that the election where the women were barred from voting can be declared null and void. He further hoped that maximum turn out would be observed today.
Later, he contacted District Returning Officer (DRO) Khushab and expressed displeasure over depriving women from their vote right and directed him to suspend the election in the district if evidence related to the issue is found.
In some cities election process failed to start on time which created problems for the voters. Polling in Muzaffargarh’s UC-35 Rangpur, Shorkot’s polling station no.8, Quaidabad’s ward no.12 and Rojhan took a late start as electoral staff failed to reach on time.
Besides this, mobile phones were also being used freely inside polling station no.3 of Jhang despite of Election Commission’s ban.
On the other hand, polling stations in Rawalpindi underwent a power-cut due to which the polling staff and voters find it difficult to carry on the election procedure.
Rawalpindi’s UC-5 and UC-6 also had a troublesome start as voters lined up outside the polling station but had to face delay as no staff was present there to initiate the election process.
Moreover, electoral staff in UC-76 was not even provided with chairs as a result of which lady presiding officers had to perform their duty while standing.
