HYDERABAD, Oct 13: A candidate for NA-231 and PS-71, Dadu, Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, has alleged the district Nazim, local administration, police and the returning officer of rigging the polls.

He appealed to the Election Commission to withhold the announcement of official results and order re-election in the aforementioned constituencies.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, Shah said polling staff and other administrative officers were posted in the constituencies at the insistence of his opponents.

He regretted a person who was arrested for committing election malpractice in the local bodies election was posted as an assistant presiding officer at the Manjhand city polling station one day before the election.

Shah said election staff was changed and polling stations were shifted on the eve of the election.

He said polling stations were set up in the sparsely- populated areas which were in control of his opponents.

He further said no polling booths for women were set up at many polling stations. The voters lists were also not provided at some polling station, he added.

The candidate alleged the polling staff and the police prevented his supporters from casting their votes.

He said at several polling stations disturbances were created and the polling was suspended for four hours for which no extra time was given.

He said the required number of ballot books were not provided at a number of polling stations, resulting in suspension of polling.

Shah said councillors and Nazims of the area remained present at the polling stations to pressurize voters.

He said he had repeatedly informed the Election Commission about the misuse of the government machinery by the district Nazim against him but it had not taken any notice.

He said armed people had taken over the possession of Qubba polling station and attacked his voters and polling agents, injuring three persons.

The candidate said the administration and the rangers were informed and the injured voters were produced before them but no action was taken against the hoodlums.

He said his opponents were harassing his supporters even after the election and had stopped their water supply and resorted to armed attacks on their villages.

He said he would challenge the results before the Election Commission and the court.

Shah demanded of the Election Commission to seal the election material to prevent the returning officer and other administration officers from tampering with the results.

Meanwhile, the editor of the Daily Koshish, Rasheed Rajar, has accused Dadu District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar of terrorizing residents of Ramzan Rajar, Siddiq Rajar and Chakar Khan Rajar goths.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here, Rasheed said the Rajars of these villages were being victimized for their decision to vote for Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah.

He said the water supply of the villages had been cut off by the Nazim of the union council concerned.

Answering a question, he said the villagers had informed the authorities concerned about the harassment unleashed against them at the insistence of the district Nazim but no action had been taken.