OKARA: The returning officer (RO) of PP-191 (Okara-7) has rejected the vote recount application submitted by losing PTI-backed independent candidate Chaudhry Saleem Sadiq on Saturday.

As per the sources close to the candidate, RO Muhammad Aslam (district officer-Finance) after going through the application returned it to Mr Sadiq with a note that reads, “fresh application does not fall within the ambit of law, hence rejected”.

The applicant had stated that 3,185 votes had been declared “cancelled” in the constituency, which required rechecking.

He had sought recounting of votes polled at 15 polling stations – 8, 11, 16, 23, 26, 80, 107, 112, 121,122,129, 130,134, 148 and 155.

The applicant had alleged that his polling agents were forced to leave at the time of vote count, seeking ballots recount before consolidation of the final result.

PML-N candidate Mian Muhammad Munir was declared winner from PP-191 by a thin margin of 830 votes.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2024