UPPER DIR: Election to the slots of nazim and naib nazim of Wari tehsil council in Upper Dir on Tuesday ended in a tie for the third time as candidates from both the sides secured seven votes each.

The elections had also remained tied with no clear winner two times before; first on Aug 30, 2015, and then on Sept 6, 2015.

Before the third round of the election, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) had got a stay order against holding of the election.

Candidates for the nazim and deputy slots get seven votes each

However, the Peshawar High Court cancelled the stay order on Nov 27 against holding of the election and issued orders for holding of the election on Dec 6 (Tuesday).

Police and Levies personnel were deployed at the assistant commissioner’s office where the elections were held. Local leaders and supporters of both the sides – JI and Muttahida Qaumi Mahaz – were also present on the occasion.

After the elections ended in a tie between the candidates, Returning

Officer Syed Ahmad Kamal, who is AC Wari, said that he organised the election for the third time on the high court’s orders and that the same had ended in a tie once again.

He said that the results would be sent to the provincial and district election commissioners and the Provincial Election Commission would then decide whether to dissolve the council or organise the election for the fourth time.

After the voting, both the sides declared ‘tie’ as their victory. The Muttahida Qaumi Mahaz leaders were gesturing victory signs to their supporters standing outside the RO’s office.

Saeed Shah, a candidate for the slot of naib nazim from the Mahaz, said that it was their victory because the council would dissolve automatically as per rules of the Local Government Act.

He claimed that the election commission would announce fresh elections on the tehsil council seats in Wari tehsil.

The JI candidates and leaders organised a press conference after the election where JI’s district chief Hanifullah advocate said that according to the Article 78(A) of the KP Local Government Act two of their dissident members, Gul Bahadar and Shaheen Bibi, would be disqualified from their reserved seats for violation of rules and changing loyalties.

He said that the two had no right to remain members on the reserved seats of JI after violating directives of the provincial leadership to vote for JI candidates in Dec 6 elections.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2016