Political parties are set to demonstrate their electoral power on Thursday in the by-election on a National Assembly's and Sindh Assembly's seat, as they carried out aggressive electioneering election drives to galvanize maximum voters in their favor. With Rangers and police deployment, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, (MQM) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) are fighting for NA-245 and PS-115 as the by-poll rises city's political temperature.
The seats had fallen vacant after the resignations of MQM's MNA Rehanullah Hashmi and MPA Arshad Abdullah Vohra, who had been elected in the 2013 general elections. Many still reckon MQM as favourite with a bigger vote bank in the constituencies. The MQM leaders also believe that the areas falling in the both constituencies are strongholds of the party and it had always won every election there. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also finalised all necessary arrangements with instructions to the retuning and presiding officers to conduct the poll in line with the law. Polling will begin at 8:00 am and will conclude by 5:00 pm without any break.
For the NA seat, the ECP has set-up some 227 polling stations, of which 21 for male, 33 female and 161 combined stations. The number of total registered voters in the NA constituency are around 409,655, of which 221,242 male while 188413 are female voters. Some 796 polling booths would be established for the NA seat. Some 796 presiding officer and 227 assistant presiding officers will be supervising the election process in fair and transparent way. Some 796 polling officer would be deployed. 16 candidates are contesting for the seat.
Similarly in the PS-115, total number of registered voters is around 162,614, out of which some 90,413 male and 72201 female would exercise their right of franchise. As many as 83 polling stations and 332 polling booths would be established for the seat. Some 83 presiding officers and 338 assistant presiding officers will be conducting the electoral process. Some 332 polling officers would also be deployed on this occasion. 14 candidates are contesting for the provincial seat.
PS-115 is comprised few areas of PECHS and Lines area whereas NA-245 constituency comprised a few areas of North Nazimabad and Nazimabad. The ECP has decided to deploy Rangers to perform duties during the polling day. The decision was taken to ensure necessary security arrangements to assist Election Commission in conduct of the by-polls through deployment of adequate force inside and outside polling stations. Rangers' personnel have been authorised to move into polling stations and take preventive actions like arrest/detention in case of breakdown of law and order is imminent. In the NA constituency, some 33 stations have been declared highly sensitive, 124 sensitive and 70 normal polling stations. Similarly, in PS-115, as many as 66 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive while 14 sensitive and only three are normal polling stations.