LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Kareem invalidated the victory notification of PML-N leader Azhar Qayyum in NA-18 Gujranwala and reinstated Bilal Ejaz Chaudhry of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as the Member of the National Assembly (MNA).
The decision came after hearing the plea filed by Bilal Ejaz Chaudhry of the PTI-backed candidates in Sunni Unity Council (SIC). Chaudhry had secured victory with a margin of eight thousand votes.
Following the court’s ruling, the Election Commission of Pakistan conducted a recount of votes, ultimately confirming the success of the opposition candidate, Azhar Qayoum.
However, during the recount, the returning officer deducted 2500 votes from the petitioner’s tally.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken significant measures to ensure the integrity and efficiency of the upcoming by-elections on April 21. To facilitate this, Returning Officers (ROs) and Presiding Officers (POs) have been granted magisterial powers equivalent to those of first-class magistrates.
By vesting District Returning Officers (DROs) and ROs with magisterial authority as per Section 193 of the Election Act 2017, the ECP aims to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process. This move underscores the commitment to fair and transparent elections across five National and 16 provincial assembly constituencies.
During the by-elections scheduled from April 20 to 22 in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, ROs and POs are empowered to exercise these magisterial powers until the official declaration of final results. This authority enables them to enforce compliance with the code of conduct set forth by the ECP rigorously.
ROs and DROs have the prerogative to take swift action against any candidate found violating the electoral code of conduct. Their authority extends to initiating legal proceedings under Section 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and conducting summary trials in accordance with Chapter XX of the code.
It’s crucial to note the significance of these by-elections, which will see voting on 21 constituencies of National and Provincial Assemblies. The ECP’s commitment to conducting fair and transparent elections underscores its pivotal role in upholding democracy in Pakistan.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
