Layyah: In the recent General Elections of 2024, the elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-181 Layyah-I secured only 21% voter support, raising questions about the representativeness of Pakistan's First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system. Although the MNA received 120,544 votes, which constitutes 35% of the 340,425 ballots cast, this figure represents just a fraction of the 574,258 registered voters in the constituency.
According to the Free and Fair Election Network, the voter turnout in NA-181 was 59%, yet the winner did not garner the support of the majority of those who voted on February 8, 2024. A significant 61% of voters, totaling 207,937, chose other candidates. The runner-up secured 28% of the ballots cast, the third-placed candidate received 21%, and the remaining candidates collectively obtained 12% of the votes. Additionally, 11,944 votes, or 4%, were declared invalid.
This analysis is part of FAFEN's broader examination of electoral representativeness across Pakistan's 266 National Assembly constituencies. The FPTP system, which awards victory to the candidate with the highest number of votes regardless of majority support, contrasts with a proportional representation (PR) system that allocates seats based on overall vote shares. FAFEN's data underscore the gap between votes cast and representation achieved, highlighting a systemic issue within Pakistan's electoral framework.