ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday termed the by-elections in NA-75 as controversial and ordered re-polling in all the polling stations on March 18 due to alleged rigging in the polls.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) while hearing the case termed the by-elections of NA-75 as null and void. In his remarks, CEC Raja Sikandar Sultan said that no open environment was provided to the voters of NA-75 on February 19.
He stated that the election in the constituency was not held fairly, justly, honestly and in a transparent manner as incidents of murder, firing, injuries and bad law and order situation were created in order to harass the voters.
The Commission while using its constitutional power under the Article 218(3) of the constitution read with section 9(1) of the Elections Act, 2017 declared the by-elections in NA-75 as void and ordered new elections in all the polling stations of the constituency.
During the hearing, the lawyer of PML-N candidate argued that the voters across the constituency during the polls were barred from using their right to vote through harassment and other tactics.
Meanwhile, the counsel of PTI candidate in his argument said that aerial firing was a usual act in the elections that is why they did not complain about the issue.
The counsel of PTI candidate further said that no large rigging had taken place during the polling; adding that all the people were allowed to use their right to vote in the constituency.
The counsel of PML-N responded that a large scale fraud was planned during the polls and ECP was supposed to make the election process transparent as the Commission was a guard of the constitution.
Talking to the media after the decision of PML-N’s candidate Nausheen Iftikhar said that she was very thankful to the people of her constituency and her party leadership for trusting her.
Punjab CS, IGP to appear before ECP on Mar 4
She stated that the ECP has taken a very historical decision and showed that ECP was a constitutionally autonomous body which played its role in making the election process free, fair and transparent.
Meanwhile, talking to media outside ECP, PML-N leader and spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, Muhammad Zubair, welcomed the ECP’s decision to re-conduct the by-elections.
He stated that they were grateful to ECP; adding that the decision will be written in history, the PML-N leader said and they also had to monitor the presiding officers.
Reacting to the decision, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, who was the most vocal in demanding re-election in NA-75, said, “The people of Daska have gotten back their right.”
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of information Shibli Faraz along with PTI’s leader Usman Dar in a press conference said that elections were transparent when PML-N won in Wazirabad, but they termed the elections rigged when they lost in Sialkot; saying that PML-N disputed Daska by-election under an organised conspiracy.
It must be noted here that PML-N candidate Nausheen Iftikhar had filed an application in view of the delay in the announcement of results by 23 polling stations and requested the ECP not to include the results of these polling stations in the final results.
Also, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday directed the Chief Secretary Punjab and Inspector General of Police Punjab to appear before the commission in person on March 4 on their negligence in fulfillment of duties during bye-poll in constituency NA-75 Sialkot-IV
The commission also issued direction to transfer Commissioner Gujranwala Division and RPO Gujranwala Region from their existing positions.
The commission ordered the Establishment Division to suspend Deputy Commissioner Sialkot, Assistant Commissioner Sialkot and District Police Officer Sialkot.
The commission ordered the federal and Punjab governments to suspend DSP Sumrial and DSP Daska and avoid assigning them further such duties.
The commission said that it will initiate inquiry against these officers or direct federal or provincial governments to start investigation.
In a major development the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to suspend Deputy Commissioner, District Police Officer, SDPO, and Assistant Commissioner Daska over the rigging in NA-75 bye-elections.
The Commission has also directed the Punjab Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police to appear before the Commission on March 4.
In the important move the ECP has decided to suspend all the concerned officers and has ordered a probe against them due to their failure to maintain the peaceful environment during the polls.
According to the development, the Election Commission has also written to the Establishment Division for departmental action against others.
The Election Commission also directed to transfer Commissioner and RPO Gujranwala out of Gujranwala Division.
The ECP also ordered the federal government and the Punjab government to suspend Deputy Commissioner Sialkot, District Police Officer Sialkot, Assistant Commissioner Daska, DSP Sambarial and DSP Daska.