SC Rejects PTI’s Plea To Suspend ECP’s Order For Re-polling In Daska NA-75

Justice Umar Ata Bandial has sought arguments from PTI’s counsel on jurisdiction and power of Election Commission of Pakistan to order re-polling in Daska NA-75.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News- March 10^th, 2021) Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rejected petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking suspension of Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision regarding re-polling in NA-75 Daska.

As proceedings commenced, PTI lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shahzad Shaukat said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) raised objection over 23 polling stations. He said the returning officer did not show any concern on the results of 340 polling stations.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that commission had exceededi from its authority by ordering re-election in NA-75 Daska.

Supreme Court Justice Umar Ata Bandial observed that the case could possibility be concluded before the electioin day, and directed the counsel to record his arguments over powers and jurisdiction of the Election Commission of Pakistan on the subject matter.

As a result, the court put off further hearing till March 16 with directive to the ECP and PML-N candidate to submit relevant data.

The Commission in February 2021 had set aside by-election NA-75 Daska and ordered re-election in the entire constituency on March 18.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja had declared that the by-poling in the Constituency was not fair and transparent. The Law and order situation was worsened and an anti-democracy environment of fear was also created among the locals.

It may be mentioned here that the Returning Officer in NA-75Daska had withheld the by-election results in NA-75 Daska owing to violence and accused of vote fraud.

According to the unofficial results, PML-N candidate Nosheen Iftikhar secured 97, 588 votes and was leading PTI’s candidate Ali Asjad Malhi who bagged 94, 541 votes but the results of 23 polling stations were delayed.