Balochistan election authorities and police failed to turn up before the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday as they were asked to submit a comprehensive report over alleged grave violations of election laws during Local Government polls of Municipal Corporation Ward No.2, District Duki of the province on June 29,2022.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) granted 12 days as an opportunity to election authorities and local police in the matter directing them to ensure implementation of the Commission directives in true letter and spirit.
In July 21, Advocates Umer Ijaz Gilani and Bebarg Sattar Baloch have invoked jurisdiction of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the matter on behalf of applicant Naqeeb Ullah urging to set aside elections of June 29, 2022 in the vicinity on the grounds of alleged grave illegalities in process of the election. The applicant has made District Election Commissioner, Duki, Deputy Commissioner/DRO Duki, Hayat Ullah Sagar, opposing candidate ward No.2 Duki, Presiding Officer, Naik Muhammad, ward No.2 Duki as respondents.
They appeared before a two-member bench of the Commission comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Baber Hassan Bharwana and claimed superintendent police Duki has filed a report on June 29, 2022 to Regional Election Commission that on the day of the LG polls, a police official sub-inspector Mujeebur Rehman Looni caught one poling agent Faridullah (poling agent of opposing candidate namely Hayat Ullah Sagar red-handed while he was in illegal possession of 99 empty ballot papers duly stamped by the Election Commission.
They further informed the bench it has been mentioned in the police report clearly that Faridullah was a polling agent of candidate Hayatullah and also his cousin. They said that the police report also mentioned “this could not have been possible without the collusion of the polling staff.” The police also suggested that it is essential for the ends of justice to go after the polling staff who were responsible for this grave illegality which has materially affected the results of the poll.
After preliminary hearing of plea of aggrieved contesting candidate of LG polls on July 21, 2022 in the matter the ECP sought comprehensive report from election authorities and local police over alleged violations of provisions of the Election Act 2017 in the vicinity.
On Wednesday, appearing before a four-member bench, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and Justice retired Ikramullah Khan in the matter, Advocate Umar Ijaz Gillani contended the ECP has already served notices to the concerned authorities. Gilani termed the controversy in question as a matter of grave concern as well as glaring illegality on part of election commission’s own staff who was supposed to conduct free and fair elections.
Re-issuing notices to the concerned party in the case, the ECP directed them to submit comprehensive report in response to the plea and adjourned the hearing till August 29, 2022.
