LG elections in Sindh, PK-7 Swat: ECP demands uninterrupted power supply on 26th

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has approached the Federal Ministry of Energy for uninterrupted power supply on the polling day of local government elections in the 14 districts of Sindh (in first phase) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s seat PK-7 in Swat – both taking place on the 26th of this month.

Secretary ECP Omar Hamid Khan, in this context, wrote a letter to Federal Secretary Energy Rashid Mahmood Langrial on Friday asking the latter to ensure unhindered power supply on the polling day in Sindh and KP.

“As per law, immediately after the close of poll, the presiding officers are required to count the ballot papers polled in favour of each contesting candidate at the polling stations and announce the preliminary result thereof at the polling stations. This is a time-consuming process which is likely to go on well after 5 pm,” according to the letter.

“It is pertinent to mention that in the past, incidents of law and order and snatching of election material base occurred when load shedding was done during the counting process and prior to the preparation of results at the pulling station,” the letter read.

“In view of the above and in order to ensure a smooth conduct of counting at polling stations as well as to facilitate the voters and the polling staff, it is imperative that the supply of electricity remains available without interruption at all polling stations of 14 districts of Sindh— and district Swat on June 26, 2022, so that the counting process and preparation of results can be completed without any hindrance,” the secretary ECP stated in the letter.

LG elections are taking place in Sindh’s 14 districts: Larkana, Kambar Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umarkot and Tharparkar in the first phase.

KP Assembly’s seat PK-7 in Swat fell vacant due to the death of Awami National Party’s (ANP’s) Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Waqar Ahmad Khan on April 30, this year. A general election on any seat of an assembly is required to be held within 60 days from it having fallen vacant.

Article 224 (4) provides that when, except by the dissolution of the National Assembly or a provincial assembly, a general seat in any such assembly has become vacant not later than 120 days before the term of that assembly is due to expire, an election to fill the seat shall be held within sixty days from the occurrence of the vacancy.

Article 218 (3) provides that it shall be the duty of ECP to organize and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted “honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022