Sargodha residents challenge NA-89, PP-74 results over low women turnout

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Petition filed in LHC claims "feudal elements" in the area issued death threats to women voters. — File photo
Petition filed in LHC claims "feudal elements" in the area issued death threats to women voters. — File photo

Eleven women residents of Sargodha on Friday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) requesting that the results of July 25 general election in NA-89 and PP-74 constituencies should be declared null and void because female voters were allegedly barred from casting their vote.

The petitioners claimed that "feudal elements" in the area had issued death threats to women who wished to exercise their right to vote. Around 4,000 women in the constituency were eligible to vote, the petition says.

The Election Act, 2017, allows the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to nullify the results of a constituency where women’s turnout is less than 10 per cent of the total polled votes.

The petition filed before the high court has nominated ECP as one of the respondents. The LHC will hear the petition on Monday.

PML-N candidate Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha had emerged victorious from NA-89 (Sargodha), while PML-N's Mian Manazar Hussain Ranjha had emerged victorious from PP-74.

Earlier in August, the ECP had ordered a re-election in Shangla's constituency of PK-23 over low turnout of female voters.

The results of the polls in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly constituency, where Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Shaukat Yousafzai had emerged as the winner, were declared void.

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