Lahore Press Club polls postponed after row over new voter list

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 28 December 2017

The annual Lahore Press Club elections were postponed after a conflict arose over a new voter list. Rival panels protested the list, leading to a sit-in that halted polling.

Summary

LAHORE – The annual elections of Lahore Press Club scheduled for Thursday had to be postponed until December 31 following a row over a controversial new voter list.

The incumbent Progressive Panel put up a list of 547 new members a couple of weeks ago promoting a protest by the rival panels.

The protesters staged a sit-in preventing the start of polling. They alleged the list was put together by the Progressive Panel only to increase its vote bank and in violation of the relevant clause of the club's constitution. 

Those in the know tell JournalismPakistan.com the list includes non-journalists and others who do not have the required experience to become club members.

The rival panels demanded to freeze the new list and said the election be organized according to the old voter list. They suggested the new elected body should scrutinize the controversial list after the elections. 

After no solution could be found, the election committee announced the postponement at 11:30 am.

KEY POINTS:

• Elections postponed to December 31
• Controversial new voter list prompted protests
• Rival panels accused Progressive Panel of manipulation
• Protesters demanded old voter list be used
• Election committee announced postponement at 11:30 am