ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced a slew of decisions on Sunday that could affect the results of polls in four key constituencies.

In Islamabad, the commission suspended the consolidation of the results for NA-47 and NA-48 following petitions by PTI-backed independent candidates Shoaib Shaheen and Syed Muhammad Ali Bokhari, respectively.

An order issued by the ECP said that Shaheen had argued that the Form 47 for the seat was not in accordance with the Form 45, since the former showed PML-N’s Tariq Fazl Chaudhry in the lead while the latter showed Shaheen in the lead.

In his petition to the ECP, Bokhari said he obtained 59,851 votes while his opponent, Raja Khurram Shehzad Nawaz, garnered 69,699 votes.

However, Bokhari said that the Form 45 issued by presiding officers, he secured 74,425 votes from 257 polling stations while Nawaz obtained 30,345 votes. He urged the ECP to order a recount in the constituency.

The ECP issued a notice to the RO for a comprehensive report on the matter within three days. It also issued a notice to Tariq Fazl Chaudhry and suspended the consolidation of the result.

“The process of consolidation shall remain suspended till the outcome of the case…” the ECP said in its order on Mr Bokhari’s petition.

NA-15 (Mansehra)

The same thing was done in Mansehra’s NA-15 constituency following a petition by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif against the returning officer (RO).

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The order issued by the ECP said Mr Sharif’s counsel had argued that the Form 47 for the seat was prepared without the Form 45 of “approximately more than 125 polling stations”.

The ECP order directed that a notice be issued to the RO to submit a comprehensive report on the matter within three day. It added that a notice also be issued to the PTI-backed winning candidate Shehzad Muha­mmad Gushtasib and the result consolidation be suspended till the case’s final outcome.

PB-21 (Hub)

The commission also announced a recount in 39 polling stations of Hub’s PB-21 constituency in Balochistan.

The order available with Dawn said the recounting of votes will take place in No. 1-25 polling stations in Tehsil Doraji and No. 48, 49, 50, 51, 57, 58, 61, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 81 and 82 of Tehsil Hub.

The statement added that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja had received an application from contesting candidate Ali Hassan Zehri in this regard which was later accepted.

“The Returning Officer is directed to issue notices to the contesting candidates of the time, date, and venue of the recounting,” the ECP order said.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2024