Probing election rigging: Large number of Form-XV missing, judicial commission told

Forms missing in large number of polling stations, with a number of bags found with their seals broken

ISLAMABAD: In a startling revelation, the judicial commission probing alleged rigging in the May 2013 general elections was told on Tuesday that a large number of Form-XVs were missing in the constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies.

Form-XV provides complete details regarding the use of ballot papers and returning officers as well as the presiding officers are bound to put one of its copy in the polling bags.

Sources revealed to The Express Tribune that on Tuesday the commission received a report from the district courts judges regarding 169 constituencies of National Assembly, 211 of Punjab Assembly, 59 of Sindh Assembly, 73 of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 20 constituencies of Balochistan.

They said that out of 44,339 polling stations of 169 constituencies of NA, 14,641 lacked the aforementioned form. It added that 3,449 polling bags were found open with their seals broken.

Read: Election inquiry commission decides to open polling bags

Moreover, it disclosed that different constituencies of K-P also lacked the form.

The story was no different in Punjab where forms were missing in the NA and provincial assembly’s constituencies from Sargodha, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Shaikhupura, Nankana and Multan. Polling bags were also found open.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, PTI's legal task force chief Ishaq Khakwani termed the report as ‘shocking’, adding it was seriously concerned about crucial records being missing.

He believed that the commission should fix responsibility on those who had violated the law during the elections.

Read: Vote fraud probe: ECP facing difficulties in securing record of ballot papers

On May 27, the judicial commission had ordered an opening of polling bags to obtain records of the ballot papers.

It had assigned the task to district judges of the respective districts to obtain copies of Form-XV, pertaining to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies’ constituencies by June 8.