As countdown for May 30 local bodies 'elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa started; electioneering is reached at its climax with political parties determinedly upbeat and pulling out all the razzmatazz. With less than a week left, the election campaign is reached at its peak, as the political hustle and bustle has gripped over all districts across the province. Voters are determined to go to the polls on May 30 next Saturday, but they have complained about the poor security arrangements at the polling stations.
The aspirants are continuously using all available tactics for wooing voters, during their door-to-door campaign. Candidates have been allowed to conduct campaign till May 28 late night, under the set code of conduct by the election commission of Pakistan for the polls. A total of 84,420 candidates are contesting for the 41,762 seats for the district, town/tehsil and village neighbourhood councils in the polls.
A total number of registered voters for the local government elections were 13.357 million, of which 7.438 million were male and 5.596 million female voters. Nearly 3,295 polling stations had been planned for male voters and 2,963 for female voters. The number of polling booths, according to him, would be established around 17,309 for men and 13,608 for women. Election camps were remained with crowds, as almost people from all walk of life, are determined to go to the polls, but they have much concerned about security arrangements on the polling day. The political parties and their candidates are using banners and posters to publicise their slogans, flags, manifestos and sentiments. Attractive messages based on political activities are being circulated to gain maximum support of the people.
Amid fragile security, and targeted killings, the conduct of violent-free local government elections is a hurricane task on part of provincial government to ensure protection to voters at huge number of polling stations, as most of polling stations have already been declared sensitive in the province. However, police and law enforcement agencies have chalked out a comprehensive security plan to maintain law and order, and ensure violent-free polls on May 30.
The official sources said the required number of security personnels were not available to be deployed at huge number of polling station for local government elections across the province. So, the provincial government has been hired services of 900 personnels of Pakistan Army, over 1000 Frontier Corps, 6000 from frontier constabulary, 2,500 police personnels from Azad Jammu Kashmir and 500 police personnels from Gilgit Baltistan, the sources said.
Similarly, they said besides sensitive districts, provincial government has also decided to be deployed around 14,510 personnel's of police and law enforcement agencies in other sensitive polling stations during the elections. The sources further added for coping with any emergency situation, 13,482 personnels from LEAs would be remained standby. It was decided that doctors will be remained on duty on polling day.
According to documents, dispatched to officials of provincial government and law enforcement agencies, stated that in Peshawar, of 996 polling stations, only 11 were normal, while 985 polling stations declared highly sanative in the district. Out of 985, around 613 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive in Peshawar, wherein around 8,789 personnels of Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps will be deployed. For this purpose, law enforcement agencies have been chalked out a comprehensive plan for the May 30.
As per documents of provincial local government department, a total number of registered voters for the local government elections were 13.357 million, of which 7.438 million were male and 5.596 million female voters. Nearly, 3,295 polling stations had been planned for male voters and 2,963 for female voters. The number of polling booths, according to him, would be established around 17,309 for men and 13,608 for women.
KP Minister for Local government and rural development, Inayatullah Khan said that the 11,262 presiding and assistant presiding officers and 30,808 polling officers would supervise the polls. According to fresh updates of the elections commission, a total of 84,420 candidates are contesting for the 41,762 seats for the district, town/tehsil and village neighbourhood councils. The total number of general seats for the 25 district councils of the province is 978, for which 5480 are contesting, while similar is the number of general seats for the two/tehsil councils, for which 5907 candidates are trying their luck.
Moreover, according to a document the general seats at the village / neighbourhood councils are 23111, for which 39079 candidates are in the field. The number of women seats at the village councils is 6678, for which 7681 candidates are contesting, which means a clear majority of the women candidates have been elected unopposed. Similarly, 15700 candidates are competing for the 3339 seats of peasant/workers and 14224 for the 3339 seats of youth.
Comments
Comments are closed.