SWABI, Aug 27: The Aurat Foundation and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) demanded on Saturday that election in those union councils be declared null and void where women were not allowed to vote.

They said that women were barred from exercising their right of adult franchise in 25 union councils of district Swabi and the Chief Election Commissioner should take notice of it.

A meeting of the district coordination committee of the Aurat Foundation was held here, attended by members of NGOs and women activists, which made the re-election demand.

They came hard on Jirga members who had entered into agreements with various political outfits to stop women from voting. Even the nazim-elects sealed such agreements but they were not ready to give a copy of these accords to welfare organizations.

They said that total reserved seats for women in the district were 220 in 55 union councils. Twenty seats went uncontested in 10 UCs because women were not allowed to file their nomination papers while on the remaining 200 seats a majority of woman councillors returned unopposed.

The GGC joint coordinator, Aqil Muhammad, said that women voting was not allowed in UC Tarraki, Khota, Sheikh Jana, Turlandi, Maini, Swabi Khas, Salim Khan, Shahmansoor, Gandaf, Chaknodah, Gar Munara, Pirmoli, Naranji, Adina, Shewa, Ismalia, Dagai, Bachai, Kunda, Anbar, Jalsai, Chota Lahor west and east, Dobian.

By comparing the participation of women and the number of elected women councillors, he said, the welfare bodies could rightly claim that their efforts had borne fruit. “In the local body elections of 2000, only 66 female councillors had been elected from all UCs of the district, but now their number has reached 200,” he said.

A female activist Shafqat Rani said stopping womenfolk from casting their votes was an unconstitutional act and “according to our constitution” no one could prevent women from voting or filing her nomination papers. What had happened in Swabi and other parts of the province militated against the country’s constitution, she added.

“When the provisions of the constitution are flouted, why the government remains silent,” she questioned.

“It was the constitutional and legal right of women to exercise their right of vote. Preventing them from this is a negation of democracy and women rights,” she said.

Ms Shabana claimed that in UCs where women were allowed to take part in elections their participation was only nominal. In some other polling stations female voters were harassed and browbeaten.

Alaiya Begum said if the EC declared election null and void in UCs where female voters had not been allowed to vote, the whole scenario would change.