SANGHAR: Recounting of votes at 30 polling stations of PS-81 as ordered by the Sindh High Court was started at the local sessions court on Tuesday but could not be completed.

The votes polled at two polling stations were counted but no official statement in this regard was issued.

However, sources privy to the process said that the votes bagged by (winning) PML-F leader Jam Madad Ali in the 2013 elections at the two polling stations appeared to have reduced from 537 to 316.

The recounting of votes polled at the remaining 28 polling stations is to be held on Wednesday.

In the general elections, the seat was won by Mohammad Khan Junejo of the PPP. He was, however, unseated on the grounds of possessing a fake degree. In the 2013 by-election, Mr Ali returned with a margin of 1,373 votes.

Around 1,200 police personnel were deployed within the precinct of the court to maintain law and order considering the high political temperature in Sanghar. Several hundred activists and supporters of PML-F and PPP, as well as other allied parties and groups, turned up at the court in the morning.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd , 2014