Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had challenged Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision regarding re-polling in NA-75 by-elections in Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC).
As per details, PTI’s candidate Ali Asjad has filed a petition in SC opposing ECP’s decision to hold re-polling in Sialkot’s NA-75 by-elections scheduled to be held on March 18th.
Ali Asjad has argued that ECP failed to properly review the records and data and that its decision to hold re-polling is against ground realities, facts.
There is no justification for re-polling, said Mr Asjad. Furthermore, the petitioner has urged the apex court to direct ECP to release NA-75 Daska by-election results of February 19th.
NA-75 By-Elections
NA-75 and PP-51 seats were vacated after PML-N’s MNA Syed Iftikhar-ud-Din and MPA Chaudhry Shaukat Manzoor Cheema passed away in August and June 2020
Both PTI and PML-N had fiercely contested the by-elections; PTI had fielded Ali Asjad, whereas PML-N’s Noshin Iftikhar contested the NA-75 by-elections
The by-polls were also marred by violence as two people were killed during a firing incident on the polling day. The incident took place at Gondka polling station where three people were shot, two of them later succumbed to their injures while being transferred to hospital.
The deceased were identified as Majid belonging from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Zeeshan, a Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) worker.
A total of eight people were also wounded in various violent confrontations between PML-N and PTI workers throughout the constituency.
Serious Irregularities, ECP Orders Re-polling on March 18th
ECP has ordered re-polling to be conducted in Sialkot’s NA-75 Daska by-elections after its results were challenged by PML-N citing irregularities and rigging.
ECP has declared the by-election results as ‘null and void’, followed by re-polling on March 18th. The decision of holding re-polling has been made upon PML-N’s request.
It is to be noted that ECP had withheld the by-election results as at least 20 presiding officers (POs) went ‘missing’ along with various district administrative officers who were ‘unavailable’ too.
ECP’s decision over re-polling is based on the fact that Returning Officer (RO) for NA-75 by-elections had submitted its report to ECP admitting to ‘irregularities’ during the voting process.
Athar Abbas – RO for NA-75 by-polls, submitted his report to the ECP stating that presiding officers (POs) were involved in the ‘irregularities’ during the voting process.
The presiding officers were ‘puzzled and terrified’ during the investigation, said the report.
