Vote for Local Bodies Election underway in Balochistan

QUETTA: Balochistan’s vote for local councils begun at 8:00 am on Saturday morning that will continue until 5:00 pm, ARY News reported.The polling in 32 districts of Balochistan began amid pre-polling rigging allegations at some places and lack of polling staff at some other polling stations. 

 

The electoral rolls were missing at some polling stations of Quetta causing brief interruption in in polling process. Polling could not begin at women’s polling stations in Zhob and Pishin till filing of this report. 

 

In Harnai, protesters staged sit-in in front of the office of DCO and blamed the local administration for rigging. 

 

In Jaffarabad, the election authorities failed to supply the required staff and required articles for polling. 

 

According to election commission sources, 18,000 candidates contesting the elections in 4600 constituencies of the province. The commission has supplied six million ballot papers to the 32 districts of the province and 33,000 polling staff had been appointed at 5,800 polling stations.

 

Balochistan government has declared Saturday as public-holiday. Stringent  security arrangements have been made and pillion riding has been banned under section 144 in the province till Dec 10.