Polling underway in DG Khan constituencies

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Polling has kicked off in PP-243 and PP-245 constituencies of Dera Ghazi Khan Monday, Geo News reported. Rangers have been deployed at polling stations declared sensitive by police during by-polls.

The polling staff along with polling material have reached polling stations.

As many as 102 polling stations have been set up in PP-243 and 122 polling stations in PP-245 with control rooms in the offices of the district police officer and the district coordination officer.

According to the computerised voters’ lists issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the number of voters in PP-243 is 134,325 while it was 150,193 during the 2008 general elections. Similarly, the number of the registered voters in PP-245 is 130,574 while it was 167,595 at the time of the 2008 general elections. An ECP official told that the number of registered voters decreased as they had deleted dual votes from the lists.

He said that as many as 102 presiding officers would perform their duties along with 232 assistant presiding officers and 232 polling officers in PP-243. He said that 122 presiding officers, 244 assistant presiding officers and 244 polling officers would perform their duties in PP-245.

Meanwhile, seven candidates are contesting for PP-243 by-polls while the real contest is between Sardar Hassamuldin Khan Khosa of the PML-N and Sardar Imtiaz Khan Leghari. Total eight candidates are contesting for PP-245 by-polls while the tough contest is expected between Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari of the PML-Q having support of the PTI and the PPP and Mir Muhammad Mirza Khan Talpur of the PML-N. It must be mentioned that turnover remained 27.11 per cent at PP-243 and 35.09 per cent at PP-245 during the 2008 general elections.