NA-250 Karachi: re-polling at 43 polling stations within 10 days: ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday announced that re-polling on 43 polling stations of NA-250 Karachi and election in NA-38 Kurram Agency, where polls were postponed, would be held within 10-day.
"After announcement of results, independent candidates will have to join any political party within three days. Bye-elections will be held within 60-day in those vacant seats of candidates, who have won from more than one seat as they will have to choose one seat, besides seven other constituencies where election were postponed due to demise/killing of candidates. The process of bye-elections will be completed by July," ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed told media.
He said after that ECP will workout to allocate reserve seats for women and minorities of National and provincial assemblies to the parties.
The ECP Secretary said that according to constitution, the National Assembly would meet within 21 days after the date of elections day for electing Speaker, Deputy Speaker and new government.
He congratulated the nation on completing the first step of conducting free, fair and transparent elections and explained the various stages of the elections process.
"Returning officers are compiling the results. We have received official results of 44 seats of National Assembly and 122 of provincial assemblies so far," Ishtiaq said. He said that the whole process of consolidating the results was being conducted under Section 39 of Representation of the People's Act 1976. He said that in the first stage presiding officer will announce the result of elections in the constituency and gives result in prescribed form.
"Ballot papers are sealed in special bags and send to returning officers," he said. He said, "no one can tamper with these sealed bags and if they do so, we will know the seals are broken. The returning officers are formulating the results, they will then place the ballot papers in a sealed plastic bag which will be opened in front of the candidates." He said that the bags will be opened in front of the candidates and postal ballots will be added. He said that returning officers will send result of the prescribed form to the ECP and consolidated results will be notified in the election commission gazette.