Rigging allegations: NA-122 vote scrutiny awaits ‘safe place’

Returning officer denies tribunal’s request for space inside sessions court; tribunal issues detailed verdict


Rana Yasif December 11, 2014

LAHORE:


The election tribunal for NA-122 (Lahore-V) is waiting for a safe place for the inspection of the records of the 2013 balloting in this constituency after the district returning officer (RO) denied a request for space inside the district and sessions court premises, The Express Tribune has learnt.


The tribunal has now asked the Lahore High Court (LHC) registrar for a safe place for inspecting the NA-122 poll records, saying that it cannot force the RO to provide a place inside the court premises, sources said.



According to them, the RO denied the tribunal’s request on grounds that the inspection of poll records could lead to an untoward incident inside the court premises. He pointed out a scuffle between supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz inside the court premises a few days back, sources added.

The election tribunal also issued a detailed verdict on Wednesday, observing that around 10 policemen would be needed to provide 24-hour security to ensure the poll record was not tampered with before or during inspection.

The tribunal’s judgement comes after around a year and half of proceedings. The case, which was taken up on PTI chairman Imran Khan’s plea, was inordinately delayed after PML-N MNA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who won the NA-122 seat, obtained a stay order from the LHC. The LHC dismissed Sadiq’s plea on November 20, allowing the tribunal to finally proceed with the case.

Accepting Imran’s plea, the tribunal judge, Kazim Ali Malik, also constituted a one-man commission comprising former additional district and sessions judge Ghulam Hussain Awan to carry out the inspection. The commission will submit an audit report to the tribunal after examining the NA-122 poll records. Awan has also been asked to look into the 54 ballot bags from PP-147 which went missing.

Among the various tasks it will carry out as part of the inspection, the commission will check the result provided by the RO against the number of polled votes inside the bags. The ballot papers will be verified against their respective counterfoils.



The commission is likely to submit its report within next two or three weeks.

After receiving the report, the election tribunal can direct the National Database and Registration Authority to verify the thumb impressions of voters on the ballots and check the validity of a vote against the voters list for the constituency.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2014.

COMMENTS (25)

Ishtiaq Hussain Bhatti Ishtiaq | 9 years ago | Reply

I never underastand why the pakistani court giving stay by stay without any reason mean who in power can do what he want right????????

Ishtiaq Hussain Bhatti Ishtiaq | 9 years ago | Reply

I never underastand why the pakistani giving stay by stay no any without any reason mean who in power can do what he want right????????

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