ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision of re-polling at all polling stations in the NA-75 Daska in the Supreme Court.
The petition has been moved by a PTI candidate from Daska Ali Asjad Malhi who pleaded with the court to nullify the ECP’s decision of re-polling in NA-75. Last week, the PTI had decided to file two petitions against the ECP’s decision on NA-75 Daska by-polls after approval from Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On February 25, the ECP had ordered re-polling at all polling stations of NA-75 Sialkot-Daska after the polls were mired with allegations of rigging. The commission declared the entire polling as null and void and had ordered re-polling in the constituency on March 18.
The ECP also decided to suspend the concerned Deputy Commissioner, District Police Officer (DPO), Assistant Commissioner and SPDO Daska over “rigging” during the by-poll in the NA-75 constituency.
Earlier, the Returning Officer (RO) of NA-75 Daska By-poll has admitted that presiding officers of 23 polling stations were found involved in rigging.
In his report submitted in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), RO Athar Abbasi said that the investigation revealed that presiding officers were involved in rigging.
PML-N candidate in the constituency Nausheen Iftikhar raised reservations over the results by stating the difference n the Form 45 copy available with her and with Presiding Officer was different.
The Returning Officer said it appears that the results were altered and suggested re-polling on the 23 polling stations.
The ECP had seized the electoral record of by-polls in NA-75 Daska after rigging allegations were levelled against each other in the constituency by PTI and PML-N.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had advised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate in NA-75 to ask for re-polling on 20 polling stations of the Daska constituency.
