MUZAFFARABAD: An application by former ambassador Masood Khan for inclusion of his name in the electoral rolls of his native Poonch district was returned by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal on technical grounds, here on Monday.

The application was filed by Mr Khan through his counsel Raja Muhammad Hanif, two days after his similar plea was turned down by assistant commissioner Rawalakot, designated as registration officer (RO).

“The order passed by the RO is neither appealable nor revisable before the chief election commissioner, hence the application is returned in original to the applicant…The applicant, if so advised, may avail the appropriate remedy,” announced CEC Mughal.

On Friday, Mr Khan’s application for enrolment of his vote in La-19 Poonch-III was rejected by the registration officer for this constituency on the grounds that he had failed to avail himself of the process for registration of votes at appropriate time.

“The election commission published a schedule for enumeration of votes but the applicant failed to get his vote registered not only during that period, but also in the extended period,” the RO had written in his order.

“After the completion of preliminary electoral rolls and invitation of claims and objections through media, the applicant did not make any claim for inclusion of his name. Even afterwards, remedy could have been obtained from the revising authority but no such request was made by him and therefore his application is rejected,” he had concluded.

A day after RO’s order, an ordinance was also promulgated by the government “to remove legal hitches in the way of enrolment of Mr Khan.” The law was given ex post facto approval by the AJK cabinet in its first formal session on Sunday.

The former ambassador, who currently heads the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, was named by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as PML-N candidate for the upcoming AJK presidential election in a move that angered Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP), an ally of PML-N in the general elections.

Though Mr Khan is a close relative of JKPP chief Sardar Khalid Ibrahim, the latter publicly criticised his nomination and announced severance of alliance with PML-N.

Ever since, a debate has also sprung up in political and legal circles about Mr Khan’s eligibility as a candidate since he was not enrolled as voter for the 2016 polls.

Nomination papers for the presidential election are being submitted on August 11 while polling will be held on August 16. The electoral college of AJK president comprises 49 and 6 members of the AJK Assembly and AJK Council.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2016