PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday ordered re-polling in the PK-95 constituency of Lower Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to absence of women voters during the May 7 by-election.

ECP has also announced a new election schedule for PK-95 while dismissing the by-election results.

This is the first case where the ECP has dismissed election results and ordered re-polling due to an absence of women voters.

There are 127,096 registered voters in the PK-95 constituency of Lower Dir, of which 53,000 of the registered voters are women.

Previously, petitioners in the Peshawar High Court alleged that PK-95 candidates and elders had made a verbal agreement to stop women from casting vote in by-election.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Izazul Mulk, who was also backed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), won the PK-95 by-election after JI chief Sirajul Haq upon being elected Senator, resigned from the seat.

Read more: PHC dismisses women voters' petition challenging PK-95 by-election results

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took notice of earlier reports about a plan to bar women from voting in the KP by-elections, and warned against any such attempts.

In a statement, the commission said this would be against the spirit of Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan, where every woman has fundamental privileges, like men, to offer her opinion.

Taking serious notice of the development, the ECP emphasised that imposing a ban on women’s right to vote was unconstitutional and would be deemed an offence.

Read more: LB polls to be litmus test for Dir's women

In 2013, documents signed by members of PTI, PPP, Awami National Party, JUI-F, PML-N and JI showed the parties were in tacit approval that women were not to vote in the General Elections in certain parts of KP.

JI to challenge ECP decision in Islamabad High Court

Rejecting the ECP's order for re-polling in PK-95, JI announced it would challenge the decision in court.

“JI has rejected the decision of re-polling,” said provincial JI chief Professor Muhammad Ibrahim, adding that the party has decided to challenge the decision of re-polling in court.

“Our winning candidate will file a petition in the Islamabad High Court.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that by-elections took place on May 30. The error is regretted.