Polling begins for Badin’s PS-70 by-election

The voting for Badin’s PS-70 by-election started at 8am and will continue till 5pm.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has registered a total of 166,809 voters in the constituency, of which 91,587 are male and 75,222 female. At least 123 polling stations have been set up, of which 41 have been declared sensitive, while 12 highly sensitive.

Eleven candidates submitted their nomination papers for the by-polls. A tough competition is expected between PPP’s Haji Muhammad Dada and JUI’s Maulana Gul Hassan.

Law enforcers deployed to provide security include 1,671 policemen and
395 Rangers personnel.

The electoral body has set up a complaint centre for the PS-70 by-election. People can dial 051-9204402 or 051-9204403 to register their complaints.

Polling agents and staff members have been barred from using cell phones inside the polling stations. The ECP even said that no unauthorised men, such as security officers, will be allowed to enter the polling stations marked for women.

The Sindh Assembly seat fell vacant after the death of Pakistan Peoples Party’s MPA Bashir Ahmed Halepoto on March 23. Halepoto was first elected from PS-55 in 2013 and then re-elected from PS-70 during the 2018 General Election. He was also a member of the Sindh Assembly Standing Committee on Labour and Human Resources.