EC barred from declaring results of NA-49, NA-20
ISLAMABAD: A division bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday stopped Election Commission (EC) from announcing official results of NA-49, Islamabad, and NA-20, Mansehra.
The division bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Munir Paracha and Justice Syed Qalbe Hassan, issued the orders in this respect while hearing two separate petitions. One petition was filed by Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, a PPP candidate in NA-49, Islamabad, and the other by Sardar Shah Jehan Yousuf, a PML-Q candidate in NA-20, Mansehra. Bukhari’s counsel Syed Asghar Hussain Bukhari pleaded recounting of the total votes polled in his constituency. He said his client’s application for recounting was rejected by the returning officer and the EC in contrast to the law.
He said the presiding officer (PO) was bound to count votes in the presence of polling agents or representatives of respective candidates, but he didn’t do so. He said the PO didn’t even invite polling agents to sign sheets containing unofficial results. The court directed the EC to provide the court with all documentary evidence and adjourned hearing into the case till Feb 29. Meanwhile, Jehan Yousuf’s counsel Hafiz SA Rehman said polling process was stopped at two polling stations, 219 and 244, in his client’s constituency.
He said women were denied the right of franchise on polling station No 244 as the polling staff failed to turn up due to bad weather. He prayed the court to order fresh polling on polling stations, 219 and 244. The court directed the EC to apprised it of steps taken so far to redress grievances of the petitioner and adjourned the hearing.
Source: Daily Times
Date:2/28/2008
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