After preliminary hearing of plea of aggrieved contesting candidate of Local Government election in Municipal Corporation Ward No.2, District Dukki of Balochistan province on Thursday the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought comprehensive report from election authorities and local police over alleged violations of provisions of the Election Act 2017 in the vicinity.
Advocates Umer Ijaz Gilani and Bebarg Sattar Baloch invoked the jurisdiction of the 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.
Appearing before two-member bench of the Commission comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Baber Hassan Bharwana, the applicant’s counsels apprised that superintendent police Duki 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.
Advocates Umer Ijaz Gilani and Bebarg Sattar Baloch submitted that no one from the incumbent authorities in the jurisdiction paid heed to take measures in the matter saying under the existing circumstances the applicant left with no option but to seek directives of the ECP to declare the election in the jurisdiction null and void.
