SAHIWAL: The PML-N runner-up candidate in NA-149 (Sahiwal) Mr Tufail Jutt has rejected the provisional poll result of the constituency and announced he would challenge it in election tribunal.

He made the announcement addressing a hurriedly called press conference at Chichawatni Press Club on Monday.

Earlier, Returning Officer/Additional Session Judge turned down Jutt’s recounting application.

Tufail Jutt had filed an application to the RO for recounting of votes on July 26.

Talking to the media, Jutt, an ex-parliamentarian, alleged that his opponent Rai Murtaza of the PTI was declared winner on the basis of fake results prepared outside the polling stations.

He lamented that he was still not given the official results of 70 polling stations on Form 45.

He claimed that at the polling station at 72/12-L village he got 166 votes as per the Form 45, but in the final result the RO declared that he obtained ‘zero’ votes. He also showed a copy of the Form 45 to the media.

Similarly, he said, his rival candidate bagged 306 votes at 112/12-L village polling station, “but the RO result copy showed 406 votes”.

He alleged that at 96/12-L village Rai Murtaza got 355 votes but RO copy mentioned 538 votes of the PTI candidate.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2018