Polling for by-election in NA-213 Umerkot starts

Umerkot: Polling is underway for the by-election in NA-213 Umerkot on Thursday.

Polling for the by-election in NA-213 Umerkot began at 8:00am and will continue uninterrupted till 5:00pm.

A total of 18 candidates are contesting in the constituency. A tough contest is expected between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Saba Talpur and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA)-backed candidate Lal Chand Malhi in the by-election.

The NA-213 Umerkot seat fell vacant after the death of PPP leader Nawab Yusuf Talpur. The total number of polling stations in the constituency is 498, out of which 269 have been declared sensitive and 91 have been declared highly sensitive.

Strict security arrangements have been made on this occasion. Police and Rangers troops have been deployed to maintain law and order.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the number of registered voters in the constituency is 608,997.

A public holiday has been declared in Umerkot district today due to the by-election.