KARACHI: Sindh Election Commissioner Ejaz Anwar Chauhan fumed at delay in election results nearly 24 hours after voting ended for the second phase of local government elections in the province.

Talking to newsmen in Karachi on Monday, Chauhan expressed displeasure about delay in results particularly from Hyderabad where ECP officer Ali Abdullah Khalid was incharge. Sources said the Provincial Election Commissioner called the Regional Election Commissioner and expressed his displeasure over the longer-than-expected delay in announcement of results.

“You assured me that the results would be compiled by morning,” he asked. To which, the Regional Election Commissioner responded that the staff you provided lacked experience. Moreover, ROs (Returning Officers) also demonstrated negligence, explained the Regional Election Commissioner to the Provincial Election Commissioner.

Chauhan, however, advised compiling the results by evening. On the other hand, Chauhan, while explaining the reason behind delay in results of the second phase of local government elections in Sindh, said that this is a complicated process and it takes time to prepare the result of one union council.

He said that the Election Commission fulfilled its constitutional responsibility in a good manner in second phase of local government elections. He added that polling continued from 6 to 7 pm at many polling stations. There were 1,230 local government constituencies in Karachi, whereas 4,999 polling stations were set up. He also mentioned that 57 ROs (Returning Officers) performed their duty in 246 union councils of the city.