Re-polling in 7 stations of upper Chitral on April 13

ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: The Election omission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued notification for re-polling in seven controversial polling stations of PK-90 Chitral II, giving a sigh of relief to the inhabitants of the area who have been without representation in the provincial assembly. The ECP in its notification stated that re-polling in the seven polling stations of PK-90 will be held on April 13, 2014. The district returning officer (DRO) Chitral had recommended re-polling on March 2 which was not accepted by the commission. However, the sources said the commission decided to hold the re-polling on April 13 instead of March 2 due to bad weather and the below-freezing temperature in the mountainous region to increase the voters’ turnout. According to the ECP, the decision to hold re-polling in April was taken after deliberation by both the provincial election commission and the ECP in consultation with the DRO Chitral who had earlier proposed re-polling in March. “The commission is pleased to observe that since April 13 (Sunday) was fixed on the report and recommendation of DRO, Chitral, provincial election commission and Election Commission of Pakistan, therefore, the re-polling will be held on April 13, 2014,” said the ECP notification. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chitral is making all-out efforts to get a verdict issued from the Supreme Court for holding re-election in the whole constituency. The party is moving from pillar-to-post to get its petition accepted for hearing in the apex court. The sources said that if the PTI managed to sail through its petition, the elections might hit snags once again on the directives of the apex court as the party had take a stance for holding re-elections in the whole constituency after an election tribunal unearthed massive irregularities in May 11 polls. The seven polling stations are as follow: Polling station No 6 (Govt High School Barum), PS No 30 (Govt Primary School Zizdi), PS 56 (Rech Bala), PS 61 (Govt Girls’ High School Booni), PS 65 (Govt primary School Charun-Oveer), PS 80 (Govt Primary School Awi Lasht) and PS No 89 (Govt Primary School Mastuj). For votes scored by APML, PPP candidates in these polling stations on May 11, 2013, click here ]]>