ECP to declare election in two NA constituencies void

ISLAMABAD: The results of two National Assembly constituencies – NA-10 and NA-48 – are likely to be declared void due to low turnout of female voters.

According to reports, a summary has been moved by the ECP Secretariat stating that the polls in NA-10 (Shangla) and NA-48 (North Waziristan) — where women votes were less than 10 per cent of the total polled votes — be declared void.

The number of registered voters in NA-10 (Shangla) is 374,343. And out of the 212,294 male voters, 115,639 cast their votes while only 12,663 women from the total registered 162,049 female voters turned up to vote. The total votes cast in the constituency was 128,302 and the 12,663 female votes was less than 10pc of the total votes.

Ibadullah Khan of PML-N had won the seat by clinching 34,070 votes in a closely contested battle with Saeed-ur-Rahman of the Awami National Party who received 32,665 votes.

Similarly in NA-48 (tribal area) the total number of registered voters was 274,205. Out of the 196,668 male voters, 57,600 (29.28 pc) and out of a total 77,537 female voters just 6,364 (8.19 pc) showed up to vote. Women voters fell short of just 32 votes to attain the 10pc share in the total polled votes. Independent candidate Mohsin Javed won the seat securing 16,496 votes defeating PTI’s Aurangzeb Khan who bagged 10,369 votes.

According to the rules, if among the total votes cast in a constituency, the share of women in the final count is less than 10pc, the results of the polls may be declared void.