Candidates scrutiny: Election tribunal set up for appeals against ROs

A final list of candidates will be issued on April 19.

PESHAWAR:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified an election tribunal on Thursday to hear appeals against returning officers’ (ROs) decisions to reject or accept nomination papers.

A handout issued by the ECP said the tribunal comprising three judges of the Peshawar High Court has been constituted under Subsection (5) of Section 14 of the Public Representation Act 1976. With the approval of the President of Pakistan, the tribunal will hear appeals against acceptance and rejection of nomination papers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Justice Fashiul Mulk will hear appeals related to NA-1 Peshawar-I to NA-47 tribal area-XII. Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel will hear appeals from PK-1 Peshawar-I to PK-99 Malakand-II and Justice Qaiser Irshad will hear appeals related to the reserved seats for minorities and women in the provincial and national legislatures.

The handout stated appeals could be submitted till April 10, to be decided by April 17.

Candidates can withdraw their nominations till April 18. They have to submit the original party tickets with ROs by April 19. Final lists of all candidates will also be issued on the same date.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2013.