IHC summons officials of ECP with original polls results on 29th
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—A Division Bench (DB) of Islamabad High Court here Thursday directed officials of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to appear on April 29 with original results of the polls held on PP-60 Faisalabad.
The Division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Munir Paracha and Justice Syed Qalbe Hassan, heard the writ petition about alleged rigging.
The bench also directed District Returning Officer to appear before it on the next date of hearing. Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood Khan of PML-Q, the writ petitioner, was represented by Rai Mohammad Nawaz Kharal Advocate. The petitioner had prayed that the returning officer of PP-60 on February 20, issued a revised result list, showing a difference of one thousand votes.
He said on February 18, the petitioner got 21, 610 votes while 3,083 votes were shown as rejected ones while in the revised result appearing next day the total votes to his credit stood at 20,610 votes while the number of rejected votes swelled to 4,083.
Tahir Abbasi Advocate, representing ECP, rejected the allegation and apprised that no consolidation of results was done on February 19. He provided a copy of results as provided by ECP which did not match the earlier copies submitted by the writ petitioner. Justice Mohammad Munir Paracha remarked that it appeared that something was wrong somewhere and the concerned DRO had lied in his statement before the court. He also advised the petitioner to approach Election tribunal as the \ over confidence he was showing might prove problematic in case the court decide against him. The same bench also adjourned hearing of another writ petition over polls results of NA-203 Shikarapur II, filed by Wahid Khan Bakhsh of PPP through Dr Babar Awan Advocate.
It was adjourned on the request of petitioner’s counsel.
In the writ petition, Wahid had alleged that massive rigging was done as evident from the turnout percentage which exceeded even hundred per cent. Ghaus Bakhsh of PML-Q had won the elections from this constituency.