ISLAMABAD: Taking notice allegation that police personnel forced candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to withdraw from the electoral race in Punjab, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought on Monday a report from the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

In a letter sent to the IGP on Monday, the ECP referred to media reports accusing senior police officers of coercing Lahore district candidates into withdrawing from the local government elections. The ECP said the alleged act was tantamount to sabotaging the constitutional sanctity of the election process.

The commission directed the IGP to seek explanation from police officers responsible for the offence and submit a report within 48 hours.

Take a look: Withdrawal of nomination: PTI men allege pressure, Hassaan denies

Also on Monday, a PTI delegation met the ECP authorities and called for replacing returning officers appointed for the important by-elections in Lahore (NA-122) and Lodhran (NA-154).

Sources in the ECP told Dawn that the PTI had suggested that new returning officers should be brought from provinces other than Punjab. The PTI delegation was, however, told that training of the officers had already been completed and it would not be possible to replace them at this stage.

The ECP also announced that an appellate tribunal comprising Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa and Justice Masud Abid Naqvi of the Lahore High Court (LHC) had been set up with the approval of President Mamnoon Hussain to hear appeals against decisions of the returning officer on nomination papers of candidates for the Lahore by-election Lahore.

Likewise, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Arshad Mahmood Tabassum of the LHC are members of the appellate tribunal for the by-election in Lodhran.

Meanwhile, the ECP claimed that there were no differences in the ECP over the appointment of the tribunals. A spokesman of the ECP said the decision not to give extension to the tribunals beyond Aug 31 had been taken on June 22.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2015

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