United Organization of Global Development (UGOOD), a non-governmental and non-political organization, has been actively participating in the Observation of the Bye-Elections. UGOOD has noted that voters were influenced inside polling stations. UGOOD deployed 25 observers to monitor over 100 polling stations in 6 constituencies. UGOOD observed that unlike the General Election 18 February 2008, this time the interference of Local Governments was minimal. Media reports had given coverage to the fact that the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Federal and Provincial Ministers used official protocols and vehicles for the campaign of their favorite candidates, which was against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s law and Code of Conduct. UGOOD observed that the turn out in all-female polling stations was lower than that of all-male and combined polling stations. In all-female polling stations, turnout was recorded at 17.7 percent, compared to 22 percent in all-male polling stations, and 32 percent in combined polling stations. UGOOD has observed that Election Commission of Pakistan made adequate logistical arrangements for the Bye-Elections on June 26, 2008 but significant gaps were seen in the enforcement of Election Day laws and procedures, leading to irregularities and inconsistencies in Election Administration. The NGO issued its observations regarding Bye-Elections in 5 National Assembly and 23 Provincial Assembly seats here on Monday. It deployed in these constituencies to observe all aspects of the Pre-Election process including election administration, preparations and campaigning of political parties and candidates, use of state resources, violations of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s Code of Conduct for political parties and contesting candidates, and intimidation and harassment of voters. The report shows presence of unauthorized people inside many polling stations trying to coerce, coax or intimidate voters to poll for a particular candidate. They are influential people and it is very difficult for presiding officers or police at polling stations to resist. Armed men were also reported to have been present inside a large number of polling stations. Unlike the general elections on February 18, UGOOD observed little role of Local Government representatives in Bye-Elections. However, its observers reported that Federal and Provincial Ministers were quite active on and before the Election Day campaigning for their party candidates. The UGOOD observers reported a significant number of violations of the Code of Conduct before and on the polling day. However, little or no action was taken on many explicit violations of this code either by the ECP or its officials at the district or constituency levels. As with General Election, District Returning Officers-DRO did not fulfill their responsibility to issue accreditation cards to election observers in many locations. Contestants were being forced to withdraw from the election by Police. In some polling stations observers were not allowed to observe the polling and counting. In NA-11 no women showed up to vote in one all-female polling stations. UGOOD further noted that cardboard secrecy screens were set up at 88 percent polling stations, that means that people’s right to vote in secrecy was not exercised in almost a quarter of observed polling station. At almost a quarter of the polling stations, the voters made no use of the secrecy screens while casting their votes.