SC dismisses JUI candidate’s appeal against repolling

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed the appeal of JUI candidate against the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan ordering re-polling on 11 polling stations in PP-7, Ziarat cum Harnai, Balochistan.

A three-member bench of the apex court — headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa — heard the appeal of Khalilur Rehman, the JUI candidate, against the ECP’s decision.

The counsel for the petitioner told the court that his client was the winning candidate in the first phase.

The chief justice observed that firing was reported at 11 polling stations in which one person had died. He observed that when there was no violation of law and constitution, the court will not intervene.

The court asked the counsel for petitioner to pin-point where the ECP violated the constitution in its decision.

The counsel replied that the ECP did not make an inquiry into the firing incident.

The ECP counsel told the court that after re-polling on these 11 polling stations, PMLN candidate Noor Muhammad was declared the winner after securing 2888 votes. The chief justice asked the counsel for Khalilur Rehman to approach the relevant forum if he had any reservations about the election results.

He observed that the constitution was very much clear adding that the Election Commission was a constitutional body and therefore he should respect it. Later, the court dismissed the JUI candidate’s appeal.