Pakistan by-polls: Women unable to vote in some seats
24 Aug 2013 4:45 AM IST
Pakistan's biggest ever by-polls for 41 national and provincial assembly constituencies ended today with many women unable to vote in the elections in which the ruling PML-N is expected to have an upper hand.
T
he polling began at 8 am (local time) and ended peacefully at 5 pm. In all, 522 candidates are contesting for 15 National Assembly and 26 provincial assembly seats.
Counting of votes begun shortly after polling ended and unofficial results are expected during the night.
In most constituencies, a neck and neck contest is expected between the ruling PML-N and Imran Khan's Tehrik-e-Insaf.
Political observers say that the ruling party is likely to have an upper hand.
Most seats where by-polls were held had been vacated by winners of more than one constituency, while others fell vacant because of disqualification of candidates by courts.
Polls in some constituencies were not held during the 11 May general election due to death of candidates.
The Election Commission set up 7,606 polling stations, with around 1,800 classified as sensitive and over 1,500 as highly
sensitive, where armed forces personnel were deployed.
There were around 8.5 million registered voters in these constituencies.
H
owever, reports said women were stopped from exercising their right to franchise in several constituencies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Some areas where women were stopped included National Assembly constituencies in Lakki Marwat and Nowshera, and Mianwali in Punjab.In Phalia, women did not cast their votes after a panchayat passed an order against their right to franchise.
T
he polling began at 8 am (local time) and ended peacefully at 5 pm. In all, 522 candidates are contesting for 15 National Assembly and 26 provincial assembly seats.
Counting of votes begun shortly after polling ended and unofficial results are expected during the night.
In most constituencies, a neck and neck contest is expected between the ruling PML-N and Imran Khan's Tehrik-e-Insaf.
Political observers say that the ruling party is likely to have an upper hand.
Most seats where by-polls were held had been vacated by winners of more than one constituency, while others fell vacant because of disqualification of candidates by courts.
Polls in some constituencies were not held during the 11 May general election due to death of candidates.
The Election Commission set up 7,606 polling stations, with around 1,800 classified as sensitive and over 1,500 as highly
sensitive, where armed forces personnel were deployed.
There were around 8.5 million registered voters in these constituencies.
H
owever, reports said women were stopped from exercising their right to franchise in several constituencies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Some areas where women were stopped included National Assembly constituencies in Lakki Marwat and Nowshera, and Mianwali in Punjab.In Phalia, women did not cast their votes after a panchayat passed an order against their right to franchise.
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