RAHIM YAR KHAN: The atmosphere turned tense outside the Rahim Yar Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RYKCCI) when a group allegedly started the polling process after closing the gates of the building on Shahbazpur road on Monday.

An election commission appointed by both groups comprising Muhammad Arif Chaudhry, Zakaullah Cheema and Shafgat Hussain had unanimously cancelled the polling process after alleged rigging and quarrel between two groups on Saturday (Sept 14) and rescheduled the entire election with new nomination papers.

According to Azaad Ittehad Group (AIG) members, the leaders of Friends Founder Alliance (FFA) on Monday reached the RYKCCI and started polling process under the control of police.

They alleged that AIG leaders on Sunday in an `illegal` meeting on the premises of RYKCCI, terminated the two members of election commission, chairman Arif Chaudhry and Zaka Cheema because these members caught their rigging red-handed.

FFA leader and president RYKCCI Iqbal Hafeez said his group accepted the 80 per cent of polling on Saturday but today (Monday) remaining 20pc polling was in progress. He alleged that AIGvoters started rigging and broke ballot boxes due to which the polling process was cancelled on Saturday. He said two members of the election commission were not properly conducting the elections so his executive body terminated them.

Election commission chairman Arif Chaudhry told this correspondent that they caught the FFA voters with more than 100 ballot papers of those voters who were not present on the premises of the chamber. He said a stamp for ballot paper was also stolen from their table allegedly by FFA supporter Naveed due to which all three members of election commission rescheduled the polls.

He further said that president and his executive body could not terminate any member of election commission and nominate new member.

President Iqbal Hafeez and executive body illegally and violating the rules and regulations of Director General Trade Organisation (DGTO) memorandum for chambers appointed two new so-called members of election commission, Nouman Maqsood and Shahab Sarwar.

On Monday, throughout the day the AIG group supporters protested outside the RYKCCI building with black ribbons on their shoulders.

They said their group would challenge this practice by FFA group in Lahore High Court and DGTO office.