Tharparkar: Re-voting at 47 NA-229-230 polling stations

THARPARKAR: The partial re-polls in NA-229, NA-230, PS-62, and PS-63 constituencies of desert district of Tharparkar’s are being held today (Saturday, June 1, 2013), Geo News reported.

According to Returning Officer, Fayyaz Rabbani, the polling staff along with ballot papers and other election material had been sent to the polling stations under army supervision.

Around 45,058 voters will use their right to franchise at those 47 polling stations in two National Assembly constituencies. Also, around 165 polling booths have been erected for the voters for June 1 partial re-polls.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had decided to hold re-polls following incidents of violence where armed electioneers of rival parties allegedly arsonized/snatched balloting material at/around those 47 polling stations.

The main contenders in NA-229 are Fakeer Sher Muhammad Bilalani of PPP and Arbab Togachi of Arbab Rahim’s Peoples Muslim League. For the first time a woman Hajiani Lunju of Qaumi Awami Tehreek is also contesting the election. Other candidates include Gomu Mal Bheel of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, Hemraj Bheel (Independent) and Advocate Mangharam Bheel of MQM. The total number of voters in this constituency is 268217 including 122678 female voters.

On the other hand, Pir Noor Muhammad Shah Jilani of PPP and Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi of Tehreek-e-Insaf are main contenders in NA-230 constituency while other candidates include Sher Muhammad Nuhri of MQM and others. The number of registered voters in this constituency is 20,3512 including 94343 female voters.

In PS-62 (Nagarparkar), re-voting will be held at 15 polling stations. According to unofficial tally of the votes Makhdoom Khalil, son of Makhdoom Amin Fahim, with 29,044 votes, was leading his rival, Arbab Anwer Jabbar of PML, who got 24,888, by around 4,000 before the polls were closed on May 11's general elections.

Voters will re-cast ballots at 28 polling stations of PS-63 (Chhachhro), where as per informal results Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo of PML had secured 20,899 votes and his rival Dost Ali Rahimoon of PPPP 15,937 before the end of voting on May 11.

Re-polls at three PS-17 (Kashmore) polling stations are also being held today.