Despite ECP’s clear stance, polling staff get electoral material late in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: As the air of uncertainty about today’s (Sunday) local government elections persisted on Saturday, polling materials were provided by the Election Commission late in Hyderabad.

In Hyderabad district, the process for the distribution of electoral material for 160 union committees had to begin at a school at 9am on Saturday but it started at 1pm.

Many polling staff were themselves uncertain about the elections because on Friday, the Sindh government had written a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) asking it not to hold the polls in the Hyderabad district and some other districts.

Although the ECP did not approve the government’s request for postponement and announced that the polls would be held on the scheduled date, many members of the electoral staff were uncertain. A total of 5,000 police personnel also arrived late at 1pm.

Kiran, assistant presiding officer of UC-119, said that she had arrived at the school at 9am but had to wait for hours to get the polling material. She complained that electoral staff was made to wait in an opening ground and there was also no provision of drinking water.

On the reports of mismanagement, District Election Officer Yusuf Majidano said there was no ambiguity regarding holding of the elections.

He added that in terms of population, Hyderabad was the second largest city in Sindh with 1,022,159 voters who will cast their votes in 705 polling stations.

Separate blocks were made for nine towns in the Public School Hyderabad where 705 presiding officers with their staff attended by 26 AOs and 52 Assistant ROs were filling the forms to receive electoral materials.

The delivery of the electoral material continued till 10pm. The parties participating in the elections in Hyderabad include the Pakistan Peoples Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance. A significant number of independent candidates are also contesting the polls.

The total number of candidates for chairman and vice-chairman in Hyderabad district are 1,166. A total of 3,456 candidates for vying for the seat of general member, 883 for municipal committee, 590 for town committee and 536 for municipal corporation.