Gujrat: In the recent General Elections of 2024, the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for the NA-63 Gujrat-II constituency was elected with just 17 percent of the total registered voters’ support. The winning candidate garnered 87,567 votes, comprising 32 percent of the 271,087 ballots cast in the election.
According to the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) for the constituency, the voter turnout was reported at 51 percent. Despite securing the seat, a significant portion of the electorate, 177,656 voters or 66 percent, cast their votes for other candidates, indicating a lack of majority support for the elected representative.
The election results showed that the runner-up candidate received 30 percent of the votes, while the third-placed candidate secured 21 percent. The remaining candidates collectively accounted for 14 percent of the ballots. Furthermore, 5,864 ballots, or two percent of the total, were deemed invalid.
This election outcome is highlighted in the Free and Fair Election Network’s (FAFEN) ongoing analysis of Pakistani electoral processes. The series underscores the potential issues arising from the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system in multi-candidate races, where a majority of voters may feel unrepresented. This situation raises concerns about the electoral system’s legitimacy and its contribution to political instability in the country.