The Election Commission of Pakistan rejected Tehreek-e-Insaf’s request for recount of votes in PP-7 quota.
The Election Commission rejected the petition of PTI candidate Shabbir Awan stating that the petitioner has failed to explain the reasons for the recount of votes.
Some time before this, the Election Commission had reserved its decision on the case.
On the order of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench in the case of PP 7 Rawalpindi, a 5-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja held a hearing in the Election Commission today.
PML-N’s Raja Saghir, PTI’s Shabbir Awan and returning officer PP-7 appeared before the Election Commission.
PTI’s Shabbir Awan applied for recount, Shabbir Awan’s lawyer said that the petitioner lost by 49 votes, our recount application is not being counted.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that no application was filed by you in the Election Commission, no application was received by the Election Commission till 5 pm yesterday, you have filed the application after the High Court decision. .
He asked that you have accused the Election Commission that we are not looking at your application, tell me when your application came?
ECP officials said that Shabbir Awan’s representative came with the application at 5:30 pm, which was withdrawn after 10 minutes.
Shabbir Awan’s lawyer said that the news came that the RTS had sat down, so the results were not being announced. sat down
The Chief Election Commissioner said that RTS was not used in any by-election, RTS is an internet system, which is affected by internet failure, the presiding officer has to give the results personally, now the result management system. Used, it is a system that exists in a computer, it has nothing to do with the Internet.
He said that no system was used for communication, RMS had no connection to the Internet, RMS was just a display of results on the screen, both the new and old RMS systems were working together. So as to be back up, you must have deliberately not written RTS, made a mistake, uploaded Form 47 to RMS.
The petitioner’s counsel said that the system was working, but the results were not coming, the margin of victory was too small, hence requested a recount.
He said that the law also says that if the margin of victory is less than 5 percent of the total polled votes or less than 10,000 votes, there can be a recount, even if the RO considers that the application is not inappropriate. A recount may take place.
Shabbir Awan’s lawyer says that there can be a recount where there is an irregularity, my application was rejected by the RO only because I did not provide the material, as soon as the result came, I applied for a recount. I am asking for recount of 21 polling stations, RO rejected our request.
He said that I have brought an appeal before the Election Commission, if the application is appropriate, there can be a recount, we were told that there is no evidence in our application, we challenged the election process at several stages.
The member commission said that you should explain why there should be a recount. Don’t talk about development projects.
Sikandar Sultan Raja said that you have come under 95/6, you should discuss it, I don’t think it is an appeal, you should convince the Election Commission, you had requested a recount or even challenged the vote. .
The petitioner’s counsel said that we had requested a recount, at a polling station the ballots were given illegally and challenged them at the same time, we have the affidavits of the polling agents, to which Sikandar Sultan Raja said that if and If irregularity was also happening then you should have mentioned them also.
Shabbir Awan’s lawyer said that the screen on which the result was coming went blank, Bagar Sharif polling station was on a 10 km paved road and the result was delayed. Poll done.
Sikandar Sultan Raja inquired as to how the vote pool of those who died in the recount would be known.
On which the lawyer said that those votes which had a thumb mark on the candidate’s name were rejected.
The Member Election Commission directed that you challenge these votes separately.
Shabbir Awan’s lawyer said that the margin of defeat of my client is very small, which is a big reason for recounting. To be clear, there is such a small margin that it is appropriate to recalculate.
Raja Saghir’s counsel argued
Raja Sagheer’s lawyer gave arguments and said that Muhammad Shabir Awan had no evidence of rigging, after referring to the Lahore High Court, the Election Commission came. asked for a recount of the entire constituency, when it was refused, they said 21 polling stations, if the polling station had been accused, it would have come forward on the first day, they came forward on July 20 with the accusation of 21 polling stations.
Counsel also submits that there was no plea of ??his polling agent that the votes were not rejected properly, no plea of ??him that he objected to the 4 presiding officers, whether it was a plea for recount of the entire constituency. Doing it or just doing it for 21 polling stations? It came to the recount of only 21 polling stations from the entire constituency, without giving any proper reason, Shabbir Awan’s plea is baseless.
Counter Arguments of Shabbir Awan’s Counsel
Shabbir Awan’s lawyer gave counter arguments and said that the RO did not consider why the application was made, rejected it there and then, which reinforces that there is something behind it, the RO repeatedly said that the decision is now Then at 11:30 pm the request was rejected. The RO said that you should sit down and find a solution yourself.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that you said in the High Court that the Election Commission is not looking into our application, we kept looking for your application.
Notification of 19 newly elected members of Punjab Assembly
On the other hand, the spokesperson of the Election Commission has said that the notification of 19 newly elected members of the Punjab Assembly has been issued.
