LARKANA, Sept 8: The Election Commission has recommended the restoration of 28 polling stations in NA-207 (Larkana-IV) and PS-37 (Larkana-III) at their old premises.

The Election Commission validated the demands of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after the secretary general of the PPP, Larkana, Mohammad Anwar Bhutto, Khan Bahadur Ghulam Mustafa Abro of union council Jumo Agham and Aijaz Leghari of union council Pir baksh Bhutto moved a representation to the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan on August 16 complaining about the relocation of 29 polling stations in the traditional constituency of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, in a letter sent to the CEC, had also complained about the change in the locations of the polling stations.

However, Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, the son of Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, in a separate letter to the CEC had supported the change and criticized the intentions of the PPP.

Anwar Bhutto, who is PPP’s ticket holder from NA-204 (Larkana-I), the traditional constituency of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, said on Sunday that the concerned returning officer himself had visited the relocated polling stations and was convinced that the premises of the old polling stations, which had not been changed since the partition till as recently as the referendum held by General Musharraf to legitimise his tenure, should not be changed.

Only one, out of the 29 relocated polling stations, was found to have been correctly relocated and left untouched by the Election Commission officials. The polling station was shifted from Mirpur to Primary School Chudha.

When contacted, the returning officer for NA-207 (Larkana- IV), Akhlaque Hussain Larik, said that he had sent his recommendations to the district returning officer (DRO), Larkana for approval.

The recommendations state that 28 of the 29 relocated polling stations should be restored at their old premises. These recommendations would be notified after being approved by the election commission, he added.