Violation of rights: ‘Re-poll stations where women were barred from voting’

PHC chief justice asks deputy commissioners of Nowshera and Lakki Marwat to nab the culprits.

PESHAWAR:

Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan on Thursday took notice of polling stations where women were not allowed to cast their votes during the by-polls.

Justice Khan also ordered re-polling at such stations where women were reportedly barred from voting by elders and political parties.

The court took notice on the application of Election Monitoring Cell (EMC) In-charge Sofia Waqar Khattak which stated women were not allowed to vote in multiple polling stations of NA-5 Nowshera and NA-27 Lakki Marwat.

After reviewing EMC’s application, the court ordered the provincial election commission to extend voting time by an hour and a half in order to allow women to cast their vote.

“It is a violation of people’s rights to deny them their right to vote. The election commission should hold polling in these stations again and should not announce the results for these constituencies until a re-vote is conducted,” read the court order.

Justice Khan called on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief secretary, Inspector General of Police, Home and Tribal Affairs secretary, provincial election commission, the CCPO and district police officer of Nowshera to assist in the case. Additional Advocate General Malik Mujtaba and Neelam A Khan were also contacted.

In addition, deputy commissioners of Nowshera and Lakki Marwat along with district police officers were ordered to arrest the culprits. Anyone involved in similar activities should be brought to book because no one can be denied their constitutional rights, said the chief justice.

Returning officers confirmed women were not allowed to vote in polling stations numbered 53 to 60 and 73 in Nowshera and polling stations numbered 11 to 17, 64 and 66 in Lakki Marwat.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2013.