LAHORE: As the general elections are set to be held on Feb 8, a record number of people – nearly 53 per cent of the total population of Lahore, are eligible to cast vote being registered voters.

According to an official document available with Dawn, the total number of registered voters is over 6.858 million which is around 53pc of the total population (13m as per census-2023) of the country’s second largest city.

Lahore, which has 14 national and 30 provincial assembly constituencies, is expected to witness huge crowds of voters at all 4,354 polling stations that included 1,120 (highly sensitive) and 3,107 (sensitive).

The biggest constituency in terms of registered voters is NA-118 (Lahore-II) which has total 735,251 voters - 394,224 male and 341,027 female. It is followed by NA-128 (Lahore-XII), which consists of 678,006 voters - 397,900 male and 330,106 female - and NA-130 (Lahore-XIV) that has total 608,318 voters - 323,100 male and 285,218 female.

The document mentions that NA-117 (Lahore-1) has 520,453 voters (282,202 male and 238,251 female). Similarly, NA-119 (Lahore-III) has 520,829 voters (277,172 male and 243,657 female), NA-120 (Lahore-IV) 363,045 (196,844 male and 166,201 female), NA-121 (Lahore-V) 467,012 (247,571 male, 219,441 female), NA-122 (Lahore-VI)-570,536 (295,486 male, 275,050 female), NA-123 (Lahore-VII) 338,780 (187,830 male, 150,950 female), NA-124 (Lahore-VIII) 310,116 (169,663 male, 140,453 female, NA-125 (Lahore-IX) 340,655 (186,261 male, 154,394 female), NA-126 (Lahore-X) 349,636 (178,327 male, 171,309 female), NA-127 (Lahore-XI) 527,044 (273,014 male, 254,030 female) and NA-129 (Lahore-XIII) 528,414 (276,659 male, 251,755 female).

NA-118 is largest constituency with 735,251 votes

The Punjab Assembly constituencies in Lahore city district start from PP-145 and end at PP-174. The total number of polling booths made on the premises of total 4,354 polling stations is 12,988 whereas total 4,624 presiding and 27,481 assistant presiding officers and 13,741 polling officers would perform duty on Feb 8 under supervision of 44 returning officers (ROs and 88 assistant returning officers) and 60 monitoring officers. As many as 10,000 CCTV cameras are being installed at all polling stations, offices etc.

GAS: During the ongoing crackdown against gas pilferers, the SNGPL continued raids in Punjab and others parts, severing another 461 connections and imposing Rs6.63 million fines on those involved in various illegalities.

In Lahore, according to a spokesman, the regional team disconnected 20 connections on illegal use of gas and another nine on use of compressor. In Multan, the team disconnected one connection on illegal use of gas and another 26 on use of compressor.

In Sahiwal, six connections were cut on use of compressor. In Sheikhupura, 88 connections were disconnected on illegal use of gas and another one on use of compressor.

The regional team of Bahawalpur disconnected 44 connections on illegal use of gas and another 15 on use of compressor. In Faisalabad, the team disconnected six connections on illegal use of gas and another five on use of compressor.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2024