CHITRAL, Aug 28: Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, a Muttahida Majlis Amal candidate from NA-32, has demanded of the government to transfer Chitral’s DCO in order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the district.

He alleged that the DCO was playing to the tunes of the district Nazim whose son was also contesting election.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, he said that even though he produced the gazette of the Election Commission, the DCO rejected his nomination papers outright, “which showed his partiality.”

In all the other constituencies, the officers of the judiciary have been appointed as returning officers but in Chitral the DCO has been given this responsibility, “who will favour the district Nazim” and “all the candidates fear rigging in the polls,” he said.

He urged the CEC to replace the returning officer of NA-32 by an officer of the judiciary.