ECP reserves verdict on Nawaz’s plea in NA-15

Islamabad: The election commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reserved the verdict on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Supremo Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s plea regarding NA-15. 

According to the details, ECP heard the plea of Nawaz and after the lawyers’ arguments completed then ECP reserves the verdict of that case. 

Nawaz’s lawyer Jahangir Jadon stated that he asked the Returning officer’s (RO) report on February 15. The report consisted on 650 pages was given to him. This case is now according to the record of RO’s report. The applicant got more than 82, 000 votes.

He said that the opponent candidate got more than 1,05000 votes. The rejected voted were 9,0082 and the total polling stations in NA-15 Mansehra were 550. The 123 polling stations which were of Kala Dhaka he did not get the form-45 of these stations. 

He affirmed that the internet had disconnected on polling day. The presiding officer was to give the result personally to RO. Ballot paper were in a car while the ill RO’s were in the other car. 

Jahangir claimed that some of the ballot bags’ seal was completely broken and some of the seal was temporary broken. He said that he oversaw the seal that which one was full broken hence it was a sensitive case. 

Nawaz’s lawyer said that the tempering was made in the seal thing. An initial information report was filed against assistant RO that where did he go and leave the elections things like that.

Member commission inquired that why the form-51 was provided to you. If you wanted to see the seal broken bags then you should go to the tribunals. 

He questioned that did your polling agent get the form-45 and why the presiding officers did not give you the form-45 were they all involved in rigging.

Jahangir replied that ballot boxes and the form-45 were tempered and the election of NA-15 is against the constitution, election act and election rule. 

The member commission asked that you are not talking about the election of the whole country, or are you?

Nawaz’s lawyer said that our result has been affected due to record tampering, our result has been affected in this constituency, the entire constituency has been affected.

The member commission asked that you want re-election in the entire constituency.

There is no room for counting, re-election should be held in the entire constituency, there was snow, there was no connectivity, the election of the constituency should be declared null and void, Jahangir added. 

Babar Awan remarked that Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) said that the allegations in the First Information Report (FIR) are false some form-45 are also correct, February 8 election. 

He further said that the voices were not raised until one o'clock, people are raising voice that the election of February 8 was not correct, if a new election is held in one constituency, it will mean, the decisions related to Karachi and Lahore are wrong, surprisingly, the recount has not yet taken place. Continuing, the candidate who won on a double count has been defeated in the Rehman Kanju case.

The member commission said that you want to say that the tribunal should look into this matter.