The Deputy Commissioners of Jamshoro, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin and Sujawal districts have requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the second phase of the local government elections scheduled for August 28 in view of the rainfall caused flooding.
“In view of the circumstances, it is requested that the LG elections may kindly be postponed for at least 45 days as conduct of the elections and supply of the election materials at this point throughout the district isn’t possible,” wrote the DC Jamshoro Capt (r) Farid-ud-udin Mustafa on Monday. The letter, addressed to the Provincial Election Commissioner, stated that 375 out of 452 designated polling stations in Jamshoro, which were around 70 percent of the total, were either inaccessible or were inundated. He claimed that the Returning Officers in their letters to the DC’s office also expressed inability to conduct the elections in the present situation. Similarly, DC Badin district Agha Shahnawaz Babaur, who is also the District Returning Officer (DRO), apprised the PEC that 65 percent of the polling stations were not ready for the polls because they were either under water or the roads leading to those stations were submerged or broken. “The unprecedented rainfall has resulted in loss of lives and damages to the roads, buildings, houses and crops,” he stated.
He urged the ECP to defer the polls which were slated to take place on August 28 for 60 days. The DC Tando Muhammad Khan, who is also the DRO, also sought postponement of the elections for 45 days on the same grounds. DC Sujawal Shehryar Memon informed the PEC in his letter that 66 out of 233 polling stations in Sujawal were in the coastal belt which was flooded.
