KARACHI: On Friday, the Sindh High Court revoked an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruling concerning a recount of candidate votes for PS-112 (Keamari-II), a provincial assembly seat.
Independent candidate Sirbuland Khan, sponsored by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, received 16,287 votes to defeat Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Asif Khan, who received 10,784 votes.
On April 1, the ECP issued an order for the recount of votes from 26 of the constituency’s polling places.
An ECP official informed Dawn that Asif Khan of the PPP has won the vote recount, which took place on April 4.
Meanwhile, the PTI candidate appealed the ECP’s order for a recount before the Supreme Court.
The petitioner had already taken the oath of office as an MPA and had won the seat, according to attorney Ali Tahir. In spite of this, the returning officer (RO) was instructed by the ECP to conduct a recount regarding rival candidate Asif’s application.
The attorney said that the ECP had additionally requested that the RO finish the recounting procedure in three days and prepare Form-49 in accordance with that request.
“Let pre-admission notices be issued to respondents as well as advocate general Sindh and deputy attorney general, to be served through first three modes, for 18.04.2024, when comments/reply, if any, shall be filed with advance copy to the learned counsel for petitioner,” ruled a two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi following a preliminary hearing. The operation of the contested order will be halted until the following date in the interim.
Dawn was informed by the ECP representative that Monday will be used to review the case in light of the court’s temporary ruling.
