ISLAMABAD, July 8, 2022: Around 40 percent of the registered voters turned out to vote in the first phase of the local government (LG) elections to elect 5,331 general members of Union Councils, Union Committees, Municipal Committees, Town Committees and District Councils, and Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Union Councils and Union Committees in 14 districts of Sindh on June 26, 2022, resuming the process of strengthening the grassroots democracy. However, the results of the otherwise orderly and well-managed voting and counting processes are yet to be notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), indicating lapses in this crucial aspect of electoral integrity.

Considering the scale and complexity of the exercise, the polling day remained largely orderly and well-managed. However, scattered incidents of localized violence, legal and procedural irregularities and overcrowding at polling stations followed by allegations of rigging and manipulation of election results by contending parties need urgent attention of the ECP for improved legal and regulatory enforcement for the next phase of LG elections in Sindh as well as the overdue LG elections in Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Some of the key areas that need further reinforcement included check on the campaigning and canvassing on election day to minimize the possibility of violence, proper setting up of polling stations to avoid overcrowding, adherence to legal process by polling staff for voter identification to avoid both disenfranchisement and ensure only registered voters are allowed to vote, complete compliance with legal requirements for issuance of ballot papers, availability of female staff at female polling booths, greater investment in the training of polling staff, and provision of basic facilities at the polling stations.

The polling was held despite efforts and calls by all major parties including Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for further delay in the long-overdue LG elections on various pretexts including need for further empowerment of local governments, updating electoral rolls and issues of delimitation. The uncertainty over the conduct of the polls prevailed until the last day. However, Election Commission’s resolve to hold the polls according to the schedule announced in April this year remained undeterred.

According to the ECP’s schedule, the election results were to be consolidated within four days of the polling i.e. by June 30, 2022, but the official results are still awaited. However, the available Form-XI (the Statement of the Count) of the polling stations suggest that 42 percent of the registered voters including 45 percent of the registered male voters and 40 percent of the registered female voters exercised their right to vote.

The 14 districts where first-phase LG polls were held included Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Larkana, Kamber Shahdadkot, Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar. A total of 6,277 seats for general members of 101 Town Committees, 23 Municipal Committees, 14 District Councils as well as general members and Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of 93 Union Committees and 794 Union Councils were to be filled, of which 946 were decided uncontested while 21,298 candidates contested for the remaining 5,331 seats.

The ECP had set up a total of 9,023 polling stations – 1,910 male, 1,895 female, and 5,218 combined – comprising 28,742 polling booths – 15,116 male and 13,626 female – to facilitate 11,304,860 registered voters including 6,147,442 men and 5,157,418 women. Of 9,023 polling stations, 2,145 (23 percent) were declared highly sensitive, 3,482 (39 percent) sensitive and 3,396 (38 percent) normal.

The report is based on the observation findings from 831 polling stations, which included observation of opening process at 199 polling stations and counting process at 180. Moreover, a general observation covering the availability of election staff and material at the booths was carried out at 1,959 polling booths, while a detailed observation covering voter identification, verification, and ballot issuance processes was conducted for 2,475 voters, who presented themselves to vote at 692 polling booths. FAFEN deployed 333 trained citizen observers – 224 women and 109 men – who were duly accredited by the ECP.

To download the report, click here

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FAFEN’s review of the Preliminary Report of Delimitation and the List of Constituencies aims to furnish initial recommendations for improvement in the quality of delimitations as well as to encourage an informed public discourse on this critical aspect of the electoral process in Pakistan.

For the complete report, click here

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ISLAMABAD, December 21, 2021: Pakistan inched towards the installation of the constitutionally-promised local governments (LGs) when around 40 percent of registered voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) turned out to vote on December 19, 2021 in 17 districts to elect more than 14,000 representatives on general and reserved seats, and four city mayors and 60 tehsil chairmen in an election that remained largely orderly, lawful and transparent but fell short on complete compliance with procedural formalities, and registered a considerable percentage of votes that were excluded from the count at the polling stations.

In what was undoubtedly one of the largest and most complex electoral exercises in the country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been able to manage the pre-election and election day processes by law and procedures, despite last minute court orders that had declared the legal scheme of LG elections – that were to be originally contested on a non-party basis – ultra vires to the Constitution. Despite fears of an inordinate delay, the Election Commission ensured the electoral exercise to be conducted by the original schedule, setting the ball rolling for the establishment of the third-tier of the government, which had been on hold for more than two years in all federal entities due to legal hitches curtaining the absence of political will to decentralize and devolve powers to the grassroots.

The KPLG elections during the first phase were held in Peshawar, Buner, Bajaur, Swabi, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Charsadda, Dera Ismail (D.I) Khan, Tank, Haripur, Mardan, Bannu, Khyber, Mohmand, Hangu and Lakki Marwat. During this phase, the LG elections were held for four city mayors of Kohat, Peshawar, Mardan and Bannu. The election for the city mayor of D.I. Khan was postponed due to the assassination of the Awami National Party (ANP) candidate. Moreover, the LG polls were held for 60 tehsil chairmen, and more than 2,200 village and neighborhood councils. The ECP had set up a total of 9,132 polling stations including 3,340 male, 2,978 female and 2,814 combined. These polling stations had a total of 28,883 polling booths including 16,327 for men and 12,556 for women to facilitate 12,668,862 registered voters – 7,015,767 men and 5,653,095 women.

A lower turnout than the General Elections (GE) 2018 was recorded during these elections. The turnout remained around 40 percent during the KPLG elections as compared to 45.8 percent in GE-2018. However, the turnout in the current LG elections is almost equivalent to 2015 LG elections, when it remained 40.50 percent for the province. According to the unofficial results of 46 tehsils released by the ECP, the turnout remained 40 percent – highest being 60 percent in Paroa in D.I. Khan and the lowest 22 percent in Tall in Hangu. These turnout figures have been prepared on the basis of Form XIX (Provisional Consolidated Statement of Results of the Count) for the seats of tehsil chairmen and city mayors.

Expectation of a high turnout may have not been met due to multiple factors but not excluding a general distrust in the efficacy of LGs, which have largely remained under-powered to deliver upon the expectations of people during their last tenure 2015-2019. However, the gender disaggregated turnout is not available as the 26 Forms XIX do not contain this data. According to available gender-disaggregated data for 20 tehsils, female turnout remained 16.69 percent as compared to 26.96 percent male turnout. At none of these tehsils, for which gender-disaggregated data is available, the turnout of women remained less than 10 percent of the total polled votes.

More concerning, however, is the number of votes excluded from the count, which stands at seven percent, according to these provisional results. As many as 25 of these provisional results have a Margin of Victory which is less than the number of ballots excluded from the count, though the decision for the final rejection of these excluded ballots will be made after their review by the Returning Officers (ROs) during the proceeding for results consolidation to be completed on December 24, 2021. Of these, eight tehsils are won by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), six by Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (JUIP), five by Awami National Party (ANP), two by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMLN), one each by Pakistan Peoples’ Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Tehreek-e-Islahaat Party (TIP), and two by Independents.

The positive aspect of these elections is the prompt acceptance of their results by all major political parties in the province particularly the senior leaders of incumbent PTI, which lost ground to rival opposition parties in many of its strongholds. This will augur well for democracy and may just be the first in Pakistan’s political history where election results have generally been challenged and electoral defeats not generously accepted. Other major political parties have also accepted the voting and counting processes as largely legitimate, and have yet to contest their quality, notwithstanding some isolated complaints, and scattered and localized incidents of violence that disrupted the polling on election day and in some cases compelling the Election Commission to order either cancellation of election or re-polling. The elections for tehsil and village (VC)/neighborhood councils (NC) in Baka Khel Wazir, Bannu will be rescheduled. Similarly, the elections were postponed in seven VCs and NCs in four districts – VC Kot Esa Khan and VC Rata Kulachi-1 in D.I. Khan, NC Baghe Irum and NC Kot Ismail Zai in Mardan, VC Azam Michankhel in Lakki Marwat, and VC Nawa in Bajaur due to deaths of contesting candidates. Moreover, the voting at six polling stations in Peshawar was halted and subsequently postponed due to incidents of violence on the election day. However, an exhaustive list of polling stations where the Election Commission would order re-polling is still awaited.

To download the complete report, click here

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FAFEN observers had reported an average of one violation per observed polling station in the last by-election, which was held on a Sindh Assembly seat in Badin district (PS-70 Badin-I) on May 20, 2021.

Illegal campaigning and canvassing around majority of the observed polling stations for PP-38 by-election was observed. FAFEN observers found candidates or contesting parties’ camps set up in the vicinity of 88 percent observed polling stations. The compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 prevention showed a varied trend across the constituency with nearly 50 percent of the observed polling stations partially enforcing the SOPs.

Although lower in number if compared with the constituency turnout during general elections 2018, by-election on PP-38 Sialkot attracted a large number of voters despite rainy weather and ongoing fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic with 55.3 percent voters- 56.6 percent men and 53.9 percent women- coming out to vote for Wednesday’s by-election. During general elections, the constituency had witnessed a cumulative turnout of 59 percent. However, PP-38 by-election turnout is greater than the recent by-elections for NA-249 Karachi West-II, PS-70 Badin and PP-84 Khushab-II, which registered a turnout of 22 percent, 35 percent and 53 percent, respectively.

FAFEN deployed a total of 33 non-partisan, trained and duly accredited observers- 25 men and eight women- to observe the polling processes at 126 polling stations – 30 male, 33 female, and 63 combined.

As for polling arrangements, election authorities had assigned more than 1,200 voters to a polling station, which is a legally recommended limit of voters on a polling station, at more than two thirds of the polling stations (114 or 69 percent). FAFEN observers reported more than one polling booth in the same room at 48 polling stations – 11 male, 18 female, and 19 combined – making the polling space congested for voters.

The seating arrangements for the candidates’ polling agents at 122 (97 percent) observed polling stations, however, were observed to be proper enabling them to observe the polling processes firsthand and raise objections or make challenges.

The observers found election materials in adequate quantities at all observed polling stations except one. Moreover, all due arrangements were made at the polling stations to protect the secrecy of voters except for five polling stations where secrecy screens were placed improperly compromising the secrecy of voters’ choice.

FAFEN observers interviewed at least three voters outside every observed polling station about their satisfaction with the polling processes and the overall environment of the by-election. Voters outside 104 (83 percent) polling stations expressed their satisfaction with the entire polling process. Voters outside 16 (13 percent) polling stations were partially satisfied. Only one interviewer expressed complete dissatisfaction with the polling process.

Three political parties i.e. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had fielded their candidates for PP-38 Sialkot-IV by-election while five candidates ran independently. A comparison of votes polled to two main contenders (PTI and PML-N) during GE-2018 and recent by-election shows a marked increase in PTI’s vote share, which rose from 32.8 percent in 2018 to 48.5 percent in 2021 while PML-N’s vote share slightly decreased from 46.6 percent to 43.6 percent. PTI candidate has returned from the constituency, as per provisional result, by securing 62,657 votes.

The by-election was necessitated due to the death of PMLN Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Chaudhry Khush Akhtar Subhani, who had won this constituency during the GE-2018 by securing 57,617 votes.

Detailed report can be accessed at: FAFEN’s PP-38 By-Election Observation Report

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As many as 58,545 registered voters – 33,751 (36.8 percent) men and 24,794 (32.9 percent) women – exercised their right to vote during by-election. The by-election recorded a turnout of 35.10 percent of registered voters- dropping from 53.67% percent recorded for the constituency during GE-2018 as hot weather and COVID-19 spread remained a challenge for voters to come out and cast their ballot. The low incidence of procedural violations was observed due to improved election management averaging almost one irregularity per polling station like by-election held on May 5, 2021 in PP-84 (Khushab-III, Punjab). Five political parties fielded their candidates in by-election, while one candidate contested independently. The winning candidate scored 79.29 percent of the polled votes while the runner-up candidate obtained 10.64 percent of the polled votes.

FAFEN’s trained citizen observers reported a total of 110 violations of electoral laws, rules, and/or various codes of conduct issued by ECP for the conduct of elections, averaging around one per observed polling station. FAFEN deployed 29 non-partisan and duly accredited observers—24 male and five females—to observe the polling process at 105 polling stations (26 male, 18 female, and 61 combined).

The compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 prevention showed a varied trend across the constituency with only 48 percent of the observed polling stations strictly enforcing the SOPs. Majority of the observed violations were of ban on campaigning and canvassing in surroundings of the polling stations. FAFEN observers found candidates or contesting parties’ camps set up in vicinity of 35 percent polling stations.

As far as polling station arrangements are concerned, 36 polling stations—10 male, five female and 21 combined—housed more than one booth in a single room making the polling space congested. A total of 77 out of 123 polling stations were allocated more than 1,200 voters. However, the seating arrangements for the candidates’ polling agents at all polling stations was seen to be proper and enabling for them to observe the polling process firsthand and raise objections, if any.

The observers found election materials in adequate quantities at 101 of the observed polling stations but scarcity of election material was reported at four polling stations. All due arrangements were made at the polling stations to protect the secrecy of voters except at four polling stations where secrecy screens were placed improperly that allowed people inside polling booth to watch voters marking their choice on ballot paper.

Observers representing the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) asked voters how satisfied they were with the voting process. Voters outside 97 polling stations—25 male, 15 female, and 57 combined—expressed their complete satisfaction with the voting process. In contrast, voters outside the remaining polling stations said they were partially satisfied. None of the interviewed voters express complete dissatisfaction with the process.

As many as five political parties had fielded their candidates for PS-70 by-election, while one candidate contested independently. A comparison of main contesting parties (PPPP and JUIP) through Forms-47 – provisional consolidated statement of results of the count – of GE-2018 and by-election 2021 shows an increase in percentage vote share of PPPP from 58.37 percent in GE-2018 to 79.28 percent in by-election 2021 and of JUIP from 3.6 percent to 10.64 percent.

The by-elections were necessitated due to the death of Pakistan Peoples’ Party Parliamentarian’s MPA Bashir Ahmed Halepoto on March 23 who had won this constituency during the General Elections 2018 by securing 44,385 votes. His nephew Dada Muhammed Halepoto of PPPP won Thursday’s by-election by securing 79.29 percent (46,420) of the total polled votes.

To download this report, click here

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As many as 155,089 registered voters – 86,178 (55.56 percent) men and 68,911 (50.09 percent) women – exercised their right to vote during by-election. The election turnout, though encouraging for a by-election, was lower than 61.7 percent turnout recorded during General Election (GE) 2018.

FAFEN’s trained citizen observers reported a total of 83 violations of electoral laws, rules, and/or various codes of conduct issued by ECP for the conduct of elections, averaging less than one violation (0.9) per observed polling station. FAFEN deployed 28 non-partisan and duly accredited observers—13 male and 15 females—to observe the polling process at 88 polling stations (eight male, nine female, and 71 combined).

The compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 prevention showed a varied trend across the constituency with only 49 percent of the observed polling stations strictly enforcing the SOPs. Majority of the observed violations were of ban on campaigning and canvassing in surroundings of the polling stations. FAFEN observers found candidates or contesting parties’ camps set up in vicinity of 55 polling stations.

As far as polling station arrangements are concerned, 15 polling stations—four female and 11 combined—housed more than one booth in a single room making the space congested. The seating arrangements for the candidates’ polling agents at four polling stations was disabling them to observe the polling process firsthand and raise any objections.

Though the overall voter turnout in the constituency was satisfactory, one polling station was observed with no votes cast at all during first two hours of the polling. Reportedly, the voters boycotted the poll in protest against unavailability of electricity in the polling area.

The observers found election materials in adequate quantities at all of the observed polling stations. All due arrangements were made at the polling stations to protect the secrecy of voters except at one polling station where secrecy screens were placed improperly that allowed people inside polling booth to watch voters marking their choice on ballot paper.

Observers representing the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) asked voters how satisfied they were with the voting process. Voters outside 82 polling stations—eight male, nine female, and 65 combined—expressed their satisfaction. In contrast, voters outside the remaining polling stations said they were partially satisfied.

As many as four political parties had fielded their candidates for PP-84 by-election, while seven candidates contested independently. The winning candidate secured 47 percent (73,081) of the polled votes (155,089), while the runner-up obtained 40.5 percent (62,903) of the polled votes. A comparison of Forms 47 – provisional consolidated statement of results of the count – of GE-2018 and by-election 2021 shows an increase in percentage vote share of PML-N from 40.2 percent in GE-2018 to 47 percent in By-election 2021 and of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from 36.2 percent in GE-2018 to 40.5 percent in by-election 2021. On the other hand, the vote share of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) decreased from 7.5 percent in GE-2018 to 3.73 percent in by-election 2021 and of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) from 0.82 percent in GE-2018 to 0.15 in by-election 2021.

The by-elections were necessitated due to the death of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Muhammad Waris Shad who had won this constituency during the General Elections 2018 by securing 66,459 votes. His son Muhammad Moazzam Sher of PML-N won Wednesday’s by-election by securing 47 percent (73,081) of the total polled votes.

To download the complete report, click here

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Observers representing the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) asked voters how satisfied they were with the voting process. Voters outside 98 polling stations—18 men’s, 17 women’s, and 53 combined—expressed their satisfaction. In contrast, voters outside the remaining polling stations said they were partially satisfied.

The observers found election material in enough quantities at all of the observed polling stations. Except for two incidents of unauthorized individuals going behind the secrecy screens at two polling stations, there were no other incidents that compromised voters’ secrecy. Except for two cases, the observers did not see party workers persuading voters inside the polling stations.

On election day, FAFEN’s trained citizen observers reported 143 violations, of which 55 related to the presence of party camps in the polling stations’ surroundings. In 11 instances, the polling staff did not allow voters to cast votes and sent them back. At 19 polling stations, the observers saw the COVID-19 SOPs not implemented at all. The other 58 instances of violations pertained to procedural irregularities, mainly in voting and counting processes. On average, the observers reported 1.3 violations per polling station.

Twelve political parties fielded their candidates in the NA-249 by-election while 18 candidates contested independently. The winning candidate secured 22 percent (16,156) of the polled votes (73,471). The party analysis shows significant changes in the vote shares of different political parties.

Muhammad Faisal Vawda of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won from this constituency during the General Elections 2018. He had secured 27 percent (35,349) of the total polled votes (131,190). Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mian Shehbaz Sharif finished runner-up with 26 percent (34,626) of the polled votes.

Abdul Qadir Mandokhel of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) won the April 29 by-election by securing 22 percent of the total polled votes. The party had secured only six percent (7,236) of polled votes during General Elections 2018. The NA-249 seat had fallen vacant due to the resignation of PTI MNA Muhammad Faisal Vawda, who became a senator in the election on March 3, 2021.

FAFEN deployed 28 nonpartisan and duly accredited observers—19 male and nine females—to observe the polling process at 112 polling stations (30 male, 20 female, and 62 combined). They reported that the polling process was generally well organized at the observed polling stations. Nearly 84 percent (94) of the monitored polling stations had polling booths in separate rooms. However, around 18 polling stations—five each male and female and eight combined—housed more than one booth in a single room. The polling agents of contesting candidates were present at all the observed polling stations. All were seated perfectly and could easily observe the process.

To download the report, click here

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Political competition was heightened following the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which was maintained by the Supreme Court also, to have re-poll in the constituency after reported incidents of rigging and irregularities during and after polling in by-election conducted earlier on February 19, 2021.

Despite the third wave of COVID-19 and the controversies emerged in by-election, a large number of voters both male and female came out to exercise their right to vote in re-poll held on April 10, 2021. In this constituency of 494,003 registered voters three political parties and six independent candidates were in the run.

Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nosheen Iftikhar won the by-election by securing 110,075 of the polled votes while the runner-up Ali Asjad Malhi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate got 93,433 votes. According to the Provisional Consolidated Statement of the Result of the Count (Form-47), a total of 1,702 votes were excluded from the count. During the GE-2018, Syed Iftikhar ul Hassan had won this constituency as a PML-N candidate by securing 101,617 polled votes while PTI candidate Ali Asjad Malhi was declared runner-up securing 61,432 votes. The seat had fallen vacant due to the death of Syed Iftikhar ul Hassan.

To download the report, click here

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On Election Day, FAFEN’s trained citizen observers reported a total of 76 procedural irregularities regarding the campaigning and canvassing, voting and counting processes, and security arrangements – averaging less than one violation per polling station. FAFEN deployed a total of 30 non-partisan and duly accredited observers – 25 men and five women – to observe the polling processes at 99 stations including 22 male, 26 female, and 51 combined.

The polling process was generally observed to be organized at the observed polling stations. Nearly 85 percent of the observed polling stations had polling booths in separate rooms; however, around 15 percent of the polling stations – 23 percent male, 27 percent female, and six percent combined – housed more than one booth in a single room. The polling agents of contesting candidates were present at 97 percent of the polling stations, and all of them were seated at a place where they could easily observe the process.

FAFEN observers also inquired voters about their level of satisfaction with the voting process. None of the voters expressed dissatisfaction with the voting process. Voters outside 87 percent polling stations – 86 percent male, 85 percent female, and 88 percent combined – expressed their full satisfaction with the process, while the voters outside the remaining polling stations were somewhat or partially satisfied.

The election materials were observed to be inadequate quantities at all of the observed polling stations except one combined polling station. The observers did not witness any incident of polling staff disallowing a voter from casting his or her ballot. With the exception of two incidents of unauthorized persons going behind the secrecy screens at two polling stations, there were no other incidents that compromised the secrecy of voters.

To download the complete report, click here

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Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) observers reported a low incidence of irregularities in the constituency’s election compared to general elections, except illegal campaigning and canvassing witnessed going unchecked in around two-thirds of monitored polling stations in the constituency. The monitors reported this problem from less than one-third of polling stations during general elections.

FAFEN deployed 22 trained, non-partisan, and duly accredited observers, including six women, to observe the constituency’s election. This report comprises information received from 35 (48%) out of 73 polling stations on Election Day. The actual number of observed polling stations will be higher. The constituency went to the polls a week later than the general elections due to the legally necessitated postponement caused by a validly nominated candidate’s death on October 10, 2020.

A total of 15 candidates contested the election in this constituency on November 22, 2020, of which eight were independent, while the remaining seven represented political parties. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Syed Sohail Abbass returned to the constituency securing 6,815 or 26% of the total valid polled votes while an independent candidate Muhammad Iqbal finished runner-up getting 4,872 (18.3%) votes. Around 66 percent voters exercised their right to vote, while the percentage of the ballots excluded from the count remained 2.5% (666 votes).

Interestingly, the female turnout also remained almost equal to that of men against general elections, where female turnout remained lower by six percentage points.

ECGB had set up 73 polling stations—31 male, 35 female, and seven combined—for election in the constituency. These stations comprised 81 male and 69 female polling booths. On average, each polling station had 566 voters and 276 voters to each polling booth, well within the preferred legal limit of 1,200 voters per polling station and 300 per polling booth.

Campaigning and Canvassing: The ECGB’s code of conduct for contesting candidates and political parties prohibits the candidates or their supporters from the exhibition of campaign material in or outside the polling station. It also bars persuading voters on polling day and establish camps beyond 400 meters in rural areas and 100 meters in densely populated urban areas from the polling stations. FAFEN observers noted party camps’ presence in the prohibited limits of 23 out of 35 observed polling stations. They also reported seeing campaign material of candidates or political parties inside six polling stations. Besides, the observers noted three instances of political workers found persuading the voters.

Voting Process: FAFEN’s observers reported that secrecy screens at three polling booths in three polling stations allowed the individuals present inside the booths to see the voters marking their ballot papers. Authorized polling agents, the candidates’ representatives permitted to witness the polling process and object to any irregularity as defined under the law, were seated appropriately at polling booths of 34 polling stations. They could see the entire polling process firsthand. However, the polling agents’ seating arrangement at one polling station did not enable them to see the polling process correctly. The voting manner was quite organized at almost all polling stations, while the observers reported the security officials’ behavior with voters also satisfactory. The voters overall expressed satisfaction with the voting process.

The majority (33) of the observed polling stations had long queues. At 29 polling stations, the authorities had set up more than one booth in a single room for voters. The observers reported non-compliance of COVID-19 prevention SOPs at four polling stations, while 27 followed them partially, and four adhered to the SOPs completely. The observers reported a scarcity of election material at four polling stations. They recorded 13 instances of polling staff not allowing voters to cast votes, mainly for not having NICs and votes not registered at the visited polling station.

FAFEN observers recorded six instances at the observed polling stations where persons other than voters, including polling agents, stamped the ballots. Moreover, they reported three cases of unauthorized individuals accompanying voters behind the screen.

The monitors reported no major incident of violence inside or outside the polling station on the day.

Counting Process: FAFEN observers witnessed the counting process at 16 polling stations. Of these monitored polling stations, the presiding officers (PrOs) handed over the copy of Form-45 to polling agents at 14 polling stations. Likewise, a copy of Form 45 was given to observers at 11 polling stations, while PrOs at five polling stations refused to do so. The observers reported that the PrOs did not paste the copies of the Form-45 outside six polling stations.

To download the report. Click here

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