LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) invalidated the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order for a vote recount in NA-79 Gujranwala.
Justice Shahid Karim on Wednesday heard a petition filed by PTI backed MNA Ahsanullah Virk challenging the ECP’s decision for vote recounting in NA-79. The bench upheld the petition, overturning the ECP’s recount order for the constituency.
During the proceedings, the ECP’s legal representative requested time to consult with the commission. However, the bench emphasized that despite any potential ambiguity, the decision was already before them, leading to the cancellation of the recount order.
Expressing concern, the bench remarked on the surprising nature of decisions emerging from the ECP, acknowledging the importance of respecting the commission’s authority while also questioning the occurrence of such events.
Prior to this, the petitioner’s legal counsel urged the bench to examine the returning officer’s report. Justice Shahid Karim questioned the prevalence of such occurrences specifically in Gujranwala.
