RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Ittihad Panel of electronic dealers has raised concern on election process of Karachi Electronic Dealers Association (KEDA) and urged for a free and fair election under an independent election committee.

Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Abdul Rasheed Norani leader of Ittehad Panel along with Idress Memon former President KEDA said that the office bearer of KEDA have announce election after a delay of 10 months as election were due in May 2019, however, the present body has announced election in March this year.

They blamed that the present office bearers are manipulating the entire election process and names of a number of members have been deleted from the voters list. Some 100 voters of Ittehad Panel including several former office bearers have been deleted from the voters list, which is also not available to members.

Even the present body has not consulted with other participating panels and election committee was announced without inducting their members like past practices, they added.

Election process has been initiated with issuance of eligible voters list and even the nomination papers were received on March 16-17 without providing voters list. The election committee has informed Ittehad Panel that voters list is in process and will be finalised on March 22, 2020.

Norani said that Ittehad Panel wants to contest election to protect the interest of the electronic dealers; however, there is need to make the entire election process transparent and election contesting opportunity should be provided to all KEDA members without any discrimination.

He also urged the election committee for rescheduling of election and issuance of eligible voters list and nomination papers before election process.