Only 11pc election petitions decided: Fafen

ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) said Friday election tribunals have so far decided only 11 percent of election petitions.

According to Fafen, election tribunals have disposed of 40 petitions of 334 for which Fafen has complete data. It identified a total of 377 petitions, but could not obtain full information on 43 petitions in Punjab.

Legally, the tribunals are required to dispose of all petitions within 180 days of filing, subject to the time spent resolving objections on petitions. However, this preferred deadline has already lapsed for many petitions.

The ECP recently notified eight election tribunals in Punjab after a prolonged legal disagreement with Lahore High Court, but these tribunals have yet to commence proceedings.

The slow pace of disposals in other provinces, coupled with late start of tribunals in Punjab, makes it unlikely all pending petitions will be resolved soon.

Of 40 petitions disposed of, four pertained to national assembly seats, while remaining 36 related to provincial assembly seats.

Regionally, Balochistan tribunals have disposed of more than half of petitions (28 out of 51), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) tribunals have resolved 10pc (four out of 42) and Sindh tribunals resolved 7pc (six out of 83).

In Punjab, only two out of 155 petitions have been decided, and none of the three petitions from Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have been resolved.

With the exception of two tribunals in Balochistan, no tribunal has rendered a verdict of any petition after a full trial. Most of petitions have been dismissed on technical grounds. Regarding national assembly, two petitions from Sindh and one each from Balochistan and KP have been resolved.

For provincial assemblies, 27 petitions from Balochistan, four from Sindh, three from KP and two from Punjab have been resolved. Of 40 disposed petitions, three were accepted and 37 were dismissed.

Three accepted petitions were filed by losing candidates for assembly seats in Balochistan, two by JUIP and one by a NP candidate.

These petitions were filed against winning candidates from PPPP and BAP. In all three cases, repolling in specific polling stations was ordered.

Among 37 dismissed petitions, 11 were deemed non-maintainable, 15 were dismissed for lack of evidence, seven were withdrawn by petitioners, two were dismissed for non-prosecution, and reasons for two could not be determined due to unavailable judgments.