ISLAMABAD: Thousands of women were disenfranchised while mostly men in Lakki Marwat exercised their right of vote in PF-75 by-election on Wednesday, says a report prepared by election observers of a civil society organisation.

The by-election was characterised by “low turnout, procedural irregularities and illegal campaigning and canvassing around polling stations,” says the preliminary report released by Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).

The seat had fallen vacant after the death of Pir Khalid Raza Zakori Sharif, who had won the seat in June 2008 by-election. Twenty candidates were in the run for the seat.

Fafen observers visited more than 50 of 69 male, female and combined polling stations in the constituency.

According to the findings, the turnout in the constituency remained between 25 and 30 per cent, and very negligible women voters turned up at female polling stations. It was observed that many of the combined polling stations even did not have female booths. The reasons for low female turnout were restrictions on women mobility and local agreements among contesting parties and candidates on barring women from voting.

Furthermore, the observers reported instances of “irregularities” which included presence of unauthorised persons inside polling stations, interference of polling agents in the voting process, irregular application of indelible ink on voters’ thumb, canvassing outside polling stations, presence of party symbols or materials inside and outside polling stations, polling officials going behind secrecy screens with voters, etc.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/11/2010