May 7 vote: ECP annuls result of Lower Dir by-polls

Orders re-poll at PK-95 provincial assembly seat where women were not allowed to cast votes.

ISLAMABAD: In the first decision of its kind, the election authorities on Wednesday scrapped election results for a provincial assembly constituency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) where women were not allowed to cast their votes in a by-poll held on May 7.

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had taken notice of reports which revealed that not a single woman polled her ballot on the day of polling last month in PK-95 Lower Dir. Some women rights activists had also approached the ECP and demanded that the polls be declared void.

“For detailed reasons recorded separately, the bye-elections of the constituency no PK-95 Lower Dir-II, held on 07-05-2015 is hereby declared void for the reasons of disenfranchisement of female voters,” said the short order released by the ECP.

Authored by the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza, the short order was signed by all the members of commission, the retired judges of the high courts who represent each of the four provinces. The ECP will announce date for re-polls after detailed order is released.

The seat fell vacant after Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq was elected as senator. His fellow party member, Izazul Mulk, had emerged victorious after edging out Awami National Party’s Haji Bahadar Khan.

The ECP summoned all the contestants, the chief secretary, returning officer and women activists and heard their point of views. More than 50,000 women are registered as voters in the constituency but reportedly not a single lady went to polling station.

After the vote count is done, the ECP does not maintain separate record for men and women voters which made it difficult for the commission to have tangible evidences. Therefore, in this case the ECP had to rely on circumstantial evidences and recorded statements of all the stakeholders.

During the hearing, the K-P government officials and contestants –winner and losers alike – claimed that there was no secret deal among parties but women did not come out to vote due to cultural reasons. During cross examination, the contestants admitted that even the women from their families did not cast their votes.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2015.