Number of rejected votes in presidential election increase

ISLAMABAD: The count of rejected votes in the presidential election on Sep 5 witnessed an increase from 27 to 28.

Initial results showed Arif Alvi secured 353 presidential votes, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman received 185 votes, while Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Aitzaz Ahsan received 124 votes.

However, the winner, Dr Alvi, and runner-up Maulana Fazlur Rahman bagged 352 and 184 electoral votes, respectively.

According to Form VII issued by the returning officer, the number of votes secured by PPP candidate Aitzaz Ahsan remained unchanged at 124.

It may be noted here that the minor changes did not affect the margin of victory.

The total number of seats in the electoral college was 1174 out of which 52 were vacant or result withheld or oath were not taken by returned candidates. The remaining 1122 voters were to exercise their right to vote.

According to the vote count received to the ECP from presiding officers, the number of voters who exercised their votes were 1110, while 27 votes were declared invalid. Thus, the number of valid votes was 1083.

A total of 424 votes were polled in the presidential election in the National Assembly and Senate. Dr Arif Alvi received 212 votes,while 131 votes were cast in favour Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the candidate backed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while Aitzaz Ahsan bagged 81 votes.

In Sindh Assembly 100 votes were cast in favour of the PPP candidate, whereas 56 votes were polled to the PTI candidate. Six members of the opposition also voted for Mr Ahsan in Sindh legislature. Maulana Fazlur Rehman got just one vote while one vote was rejected

In the Balochistan Assembly, Mr Alvi secured 45 votes while Mr Rehman managed to secure 15 votes.

In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly where the PTI is in power, its candidate obtained 78 votes while Mr Rehman got 26 votes and the PPP candidate received 5 votes. Two votes were rejected.

Mr Alvi bagged 186 votes in the Punjab Assembly, Mr Rehman 141 and Mr Ahsan 6 votes. As many as 18 votes were rejected.