HARIPUR: The Election Commission of Pakistan has dismissed identical petitions of general election candidates for vote recount or re-election in three constituencies of the provincial assembly here.

Independent candidates Qazi Mohammad Asad Khan from PK-46, Raja Faisal Zaman from PK-47 and Gohar Nawaz Khan from PK-48 had lost the Feb 8, 2024, elections to PTI nominees Akbar Ayub Khan, Arshad Ayub Khan and Malik Adeel Iqbal, respectively.

The victory was challenged by the independents with the ECP, which reserved verdict on their petitions on July 22 after the completion of arguments by both sides.

The petitioners claimed that the elections in their constituencies were rigged; their election agents were not provided with Form 45, and notices were not issued to them by the respective returning officers for consolidation of results, which was carried out in absence of their agents.

Independents alleged rigging in general elections

They added that bogus votes were polled to rig the elections and that was evident from the “higher and unnatural” voting trend in those constituencies.

The petitioners prayed for vote recount or re-polling in the “best interest of justice.”

They challenged the notification of their rivals’ victory through identical petitions. The ECP clubbed all three petitions.

Haqnawaz Safdar, lawyer for respondents in the case, contended that under sections 9(3) and 9(5) of the Election Act, 2017, the ECP had no jurisdiction to continue proceeding with the petitions 60 days after the publication of the names of returned candidates. He added that the election was held peacefully and in a free, fair and transparent manner.

The respective returning officers submitted their separate reports to the ECP, insisting the candidates were given notices for consolidating election results but they didn’t participate in the process nor did they apply for vote recount.

In its order, the ECP declared that it had vast powers to adjudicate the matter even after the lapse of 60-day time from the date of the notification of returned candidates.

It added that there was nothing to believe that returning officers had acted contrary to the law.

About vote recount under Section 95(5) of the Election Act, 2017, the ECP declared, “Returning officer shall recount votes on the written request if margin of victory is less than 5% of the total polled votes or in case of the provincial assembly margin of victory is less than 4,000 votes.

It is revealed by Form 47 from PK-46 that margin of victory between the returned and runner-up candidates is 40,508 votes, while the margin is 38,418 in PK-47 and 20,040 in PK-48 so that the pray for vote recounting under Section 95(5) and (6) of the Act do not appear appropriate.”

It also ruled that the aggrieved parties had failed to bring on record reliable and considerable evidence or violation of the Election Act or Election Rules which have materially affected the results of the election. “The commission dismissed all the three petitions as devoid of force,” it declared.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2025