LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has provisionally allowed the electronic media to telecast unofficial results of the local government elections being held on Saturday, one hour after the end of polling. It also asked the television channels to refrain from indulging in sensationalism.

Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan passed an interim order to this effect on two identical petitions filed by the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry against a ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on telecasting unofficial results of the local government polls.

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The counsel for the petitioners argued that the impugned ban was in sheer violation of Article 19-A of the Constitution. They said the media could not be barred from performing its duties.

Citing example of the recently held by-poll in NA-122 constituency, a law officer of the Election Commission of Pakistan told the court that television channels telecast results before culmination of the polling time and the results were found to be incorrect at a later stage.

Justice Khan said the channels should avoid indulging in sensationalism while airing unofficial election results

He said the ban had been imposed to avoid any scuffle among supporters of various candidates due to discrepancies in the unofficial and official results. Justice Khan observed that the ECP should not have imposed an absolute ban on media coverage of the unofficial election results.

He said that people had the right to information which could not be curbed.

Relaxing the ban, the judge ordered that news channels would telecast the results one hour after the end of polling time and on the basis of Form-14 prepared by presiding officers.

Justice Khan said the channels should avoid indulging in sensationalism while airing unofficial election results.

The judge adjourned hearing of the petitions till Nov 5.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2015

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