ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has expressed grave concerns over Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to deploy troops inside the polling stations in the bye-elections in PS-II, Larkana II scheduled for October 17. Secretary General Farhatullah Babar expressed this concern through a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner (CEC). The letter was delivered to ECP on Oct 15. Farhatullah Babar in his letter said, “According to the ECP notification army officers and JCOs will not only have magisterial powers for the entire duration of deployment but also additional powers to override Presiding Officers on the presumption that the civilian Presiding Officer has failed to act on any complaint of unspecified irregularity/malpractice. The party is opposed to the deployment of troops inside polling stations anytime and anywhere.”The letter has urged ECP to reconsider the decision of posting troops inside polling stations in the interest of free and fair elections.

Source: Pakistan Today October 15, 2019 16:30 UTC