NA-213 Umerkot by-poll: Staff not received any training for duty from ECP: report

ISLAMABAD: The security staff stationed at the entrances of nine polling stations indicated that they had not received any training for election duty — neither from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), nor from their department — reveals an electoral report regarding recently held by-election on National Assembly’s seat NA-213 Umerkot.

One presiding officer, six polling officers and seven assistant presiding officers stated that they had not attended any such refresher training prior to their deployment for the by-election duty, notes the report issued by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) into NA-213 by-poll.

However, the majority of the polling staff deployed during the by-poll reported receiving training from the ECP, says the report.

At six of the 74 polling booths of 27 polling stations, the placement of secrecy screens was “such that it could have potentially compromised the secrecy of voters’ choices,” the document states.

The report notes the presence of the candidates’ camps in the close vicinity of the nine of 24 polling stations with banners displayed and voter chits and food being distributed.

Candidate-supported vehicles were seen providing transportation to voters at 14 of the 24 observed polling stations at the by-election, the report states.

“Similarly, the men carrying arms were observed at five polling stations during the observation,” says the FAFEN report.

Five voters were turned away in the NA-213 by-election without being allowed to cast their votes due to reasons such as lacking an original national identity card, presenting an expired NIC, or their votes not been registered at the polling stations concerned, the document notes.

Legally, voters with expired NIC are allowed to cast their ballots, it says.

As many as seven polling stations were found without ramps for voters who were using wheelchairs, the report mentions.

Yet, the by-election in NA-213 Umerkot remained largely orderly and peaceful, barring sporadic instances of electoral irregularities such as illegal campaigning and canvassing, FAFEN observes in its report.

The NA-213 seat had fallen vacant this February following the death of Yousaf Talpur, who won this constituency during last years’ general elections on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ticket, by securing 59 percent of the polled votes with 50 percent voters turnout.

The turnout in the recent by-election was reduced to 43 percent, according to FAFEN. Saba Talpur from PPP has been declared as winner in the by-election, held on 17th April, amidst allegations of massive rigging.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025