ISLAMABAD, May 14: Re-polling will be held on May 19 (Sunday) in 43 polling stations of the National Assembly constituency NA 250 in Karachi, where the process was suspended on Saturday after the Election Commission received complaints of irregularities.

According to an official, the ECP had summoned reports from the returning officers and other officials concerned on allegations of irregularities and re-polling in other constituencies could not be ruled out if substantial evidence was provided.

About reports of over 100 per cent turnout at some polling stations across the country, the official said the presiding officers were bound under the law to provide a certified copy of the vote count to the polling agents. “The presiding officers concerned will have to face action if they are found involved in any illegal practice.”

He said the presiding officers would be accountable for every ballot paper.

“If they had issued ballot papers to people other than the genuine voters, the impersonators will be traced and punished.”

The official said the parties, candidates and polling agents having proof of rigging should come forward. Five election tribunals had been set up in Punjab and three each in other provinces.

He said the ECP also had the power to order re-polling if undeniable evidence of rigging was provided to it.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) urged the ECP to immediately hold an inquiry under the Representation of the People Act, 1976, into what it termed gross rigging allegedly committed by its opponents in the general elections. The party’s additional secretary general, Saifullah Khan Niazi, claimed that the party had managed to collect undeniable evidence to prove that gross irregularities had been committed by its opponents across the country.

He said that besides recounting, the ECP should also match the thumb impressions on the counterfoils of ballot papers with the National database and Registration Authority (Nadra) record.

He said the commission must take stern action against those government officials who had failed to perform their duties in accordance with the laws and election rules.

Salim Saifullah Khan, a Pakistan Muslim League leader and former federal minister, alleged that Jamiat Ualemi-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his supporters had openly used loudspeakers and mosques for election campaign in violation of the ECP rules in NA 27, Lakki Marwat. He said that despite ECP’s warning against seeking votes in the name of religion, the JUI-F chief had said on record that those who did not vote for his party would be infidels. He called for an inquiry and re-polling in the constituency.

The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) also urged the ECP and Nadra to immediately carry out an audit of thumb impressions in the constituencies where complaints of rigging had been made, especially in Karachi and Lahore.

It said the audit could be undertaken without much difficulty in a short time and it had become necessary in view of the complaints made by several parties and voters. “This exercise is essential to pinpoint the specific areas where irregularities may have been committed so that the general credibility of the overall elections should be safeguarded.

“Since Nadra has authenticated thumb impressions of voters in its database, these should be compared with the thumb impressions affixed on the picture electoral rolls and the counterfoils of the ballot papers on the day of the election and any discrepancy should be brought to the notice of the ECP.”

It said that in case of mismatch of thumb impressions, the results of that polling station should be declared void.

Pildat noted with concern that polling staff, especially women, had been handed over election material without any transportation or security arrangements. “Vulnerability of the staff and the influence of local powerful elements on them proved to be one of the weakest links in the chain of election arrangements made by the ECP.”

Our Staff Reporter in Karachi adds: In the polling stations in Karachi South’s NA 250 constituency where re-polling will be held, 86,316 people are eligible to cast their votes — 48,442 men and 37,874 women. Voting for Sindh Assembly’s constituencies 112 and 113 will also be held in the 43 polling stations.

The re-polling has been announced for the stations where polling could not be held on the election day because of an inordinate delay or absence of presiding officers and other staff or the process became controversial because of mismanagement to the extent that almost all parties having candidates in the constituencies demanded re-election under the army’s supervision.

In the light of complaints, the ECP had conceded on Saturday its failure to hold free, fair and transparent elections in Karachi and decided to conduct re-polling in the stations where glaring irregularities were found.

The date for the re-polling was decided at an ECP meeting on Tuesday.

According to a notification, the names of the polling stations with their old numbers are: PS-4 Safiya Sec Boys (Private) School, Pak Chowk; PS-7 GBSS, Railway Colony; PS-11 GBBS MUM School, Gari Khata; PS-48 GGSS, P&T Colony; PS-52 Islamia Collegiate Public Sec School, Hijrat Colony; PS-56 Jamshed Ahmad Khan Lower Sec School; PS-57 Bismillah Hijrat Colony GBPS; PS-58 CDGK Primary School No54-55 MK Junejo Road; PS-60 CDGK School 56, Tekri Colony, Bath Island; PS-62 College of Accounting Management Science, Allama Shibli Nomani Road; PS-78 Pak Turkish Institute, Shireen Jinnah Colony; PS-97&98 Aaisha Bawani Secondary School; PS-100&101 Aaisha Bawani Govt College; PS-104 KMC Primary School No62-63, Hazara Colony Cantt; PS-109&110 GBSS Qamarul Islam, Punjab Colony; PS-113&114 Ismail Allahwala Sec School, Delhi Colony; PS-115 DHA Tooba High School, Phase-I; PS-117 Aminia Girls Sec School, Delhi Colony Street-7; PS-121 Zaheen Academy, Block-9, Kehkashan Clifton; PS-122 Bay View Junior School, Block 9, near International Islamic Chamber; PS-131 Absa School of Deaf & Dumb Children, Phase-II Ext, Main Korangi Road; PS-135, 136, 137 and 139 Defence Model School, Phase IV; PS-140, 141, 142, 143 and 144 DHA Boys College, Phase VII; PS-148 DHA Model High School, Phase-VII, Khayaban-i-Hilal; PS-157 DA Model School O & A Level, Khayaban-i-Mujahid; PS-165 DA Middle School, Phase-VIII, Khayaban-i-Shujaat; PS-168 DHA Girls College, Phase-VIII; PS-175 Govt Rizwan Pry School, B-Area, Qayyumabad and PS-177, 179 and 180 Baldia Primary Lower Sec School, A-Area, Qayyumabad.