Judicial commission concludes proceedings

ISLAMABAD: The three-member General Election 2013 Inquiry Commission, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Ameer Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, on Friday concluded the proceedings and would give its findings later on.
Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk thanked the counsels of all the parties for assisting it in the instant matter.“Now you people should enjoy yourselves vacation and we will work,” the chief justice asked the counsels of all the parties in light mood while concluding the last and 39th hearing of the instant matter.
Earlier, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told the Inquiry Commission probing the alleged rigging in 2013 general elections that the number of constituencies in Punjab was greater than other provinces hence the Returning Officers (ROs) were empowered to determine printing of extra ballot papers after decentralising the system for ensuring accurate preparation for holding the elections.
Salman Akram Raja, counsel for ECP rejected the allegation of fraud leveled by Barrister Aitzaz Ahsen and said that some mistakes done during the elections did not mean that that a fraud was committed.
“The mistakes also don’t affects the results of the elections and the ECP while comparing the statistics came to the conclusion that there was no difference regarding Forms 15”, he told the Inquiry Commission while commencing his arguments.
The Inquiry Commission probing the alleged systematic rigging in 2013 general elections the other day had asked the counsel for the ECP to explain as to why the ROs determined the printing of extra ballot papers in the Punjab.Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) in his arguments had also pinpointed to the learned Inquiry Commission that the ECP had determined the printing of extra ballot papers for the provinces of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan however, in Punjab the Returning Officers (ROs) had determined the printing of extra ballot papers.
Earlier, Salman Akran Raja, counsel for ECP submitted that the number of constituencies in Punjab was greater than other three provinces so the Election Commission decided to decentralise its system and empowered the Returning Officers (ROs) to determine printing of extra ballot papers in order to ensure adequate arrangements for holding the election in the province.
Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan asked the learned counsel about the two lists, issued by the ECP.Salman Akram Raja replied that the list issued on April 21, 2013 related to the initial estimate for printing of extra ballot papers while the list issued on April 26, 2013 based on the round up made by the Returning Officers (ROs) as per formula.
The counsel further submitted that the volume of ballot papers to be printed for 70 constituencies decreased from the initial estimation of printing of extra ballot papers.The Chief Justice asked the learned counsel as to whether the ECP was supervising and monitoring the whole exercise of printing the extra ballot papers.
Salman Akram Raja replied that all the information was transmitted to the Central SecretariatThe learned counsel when started arguments on the issue of Form 15, the Chief Justice asked him about the rationale of retaining Form 15 with them by the Returning Officers (ROs) instead of sending it to the ECP.
Raja admitted saying that Form 15 should be retained by the Election Commission of Pakistan but as per rules the Presiding Officer (PO) made two sets of Form 15, one was sent to Returning Officer and the other he kept for himself. He said that the Returning Officers (ROs) kept with them Form 14 and 15 and sent Election Commission Forms 16 and 17.
He said if Form 15 was not available, information could be collected from Form 14 as well. The non-availability of Form 15 did not mean that a fraud was committed”, Raja contended.The Chief Justice asked as to why the Commission did not arrange its own treasury for preserving its record and whether the commission had any plan to preserve its record. Raja replied that they had acquired the space however provision of funds was the main hurdle and the government should seriously look into the matter.
Earlier, when the proceeding started, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) submitted that the Provincial Election Commission printed extra ballot papers for 49 constituencies in Punjab.He alleged that specific constituencies were selected for rigging adding that for some of constituencies over 20, 000 extra ballot papers were printed.