NA-240 by-polls: ECP finalises security arrangements

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalised security arrangements for NA-240 by-polls in Karachi’s Korangi, ARY News reported on Monday.

The regional election commissioner said in a statement that the preparations have entered in final phase for NA-240 Korangi by-polls. “Security arrangements have been finalised. Power supply to the polling stations will be ensured, whereas, the voting process will be monitored through CCTV cameras.”

The ECP official warned candidates of strict action if they are found using government machinery during the by-polls.

On June 8, the interior ministry had issued orders for the deployment of paramilitary rangers at polling stations during the by-election in Karachi’s NA-240 constituency.

READ: JUI-F ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR MQM-P IN NA-240 BY-POLL

“The Rangers will be deployed outside all polling stations of NA-240 during by-poll from June 15 to 17,” the interior ministry said in its order.

The ministry had issued Rangers deployment orders for maintenance of law and order at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

It is pertinent to mention here that ECP had declared all polling stations for the National Assembly constituency NA-240 as sensitive.

The National Assembly seat comprising Landhi and Korangi area of District Korangi in Karachi had fallen vacant after the death of the MQM-P MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan on April 19.

READ: NA-240 BY-POLLS: DRO REMOVED AT MQM-P’S REQUEST

The ECP had declared 203 polling stations in the constituency ‘very sensitive’ out of 309 polling stations while the remaining 106 polling stations have been declared ‘sensitive’.

The election commission had established 182 polling stations in Korangi and 127 in the Landhi area for the by-election scheduled to be held on June 16.

The NA-240 (Korangi Karachi II) seat has total of 5,29,855 voters. The electoral body has set up 100 polling stations for male voters, 99 PS for women voters and 110 joint polling stations for the by-election under its polling scheme.

The nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for the by-election of NA-240 Korangi were rejected by the district returning officer Abdul Razzaq. The papers were rejected after the RO deemed the proposer’s signatures fake.

NA-240 by-election will be conducted on June 16.