The Lahore High Court here Monday in a petition challenging election of Hamid Yar Khan Hiraj directed recounting of ballot papers in NA-157, Khanewal III from the constituency. The court directed District & Sessions Judge Khanewal to recount all the cast votes of the constituency in presence of the both parties (candidates) to see the number of invalid votes.
The court passed these orders in an election petition filed by PML-N Muhammad Khan Daha through his counsel submitting that in 2008 elections respondent Hamid Yar Khan Hiraj was declared successful candidate from NA-157 with 58782 votes whereas he secured 58169 votes.
He submitted that brother of the respondent was sitting Zila Nazim Khanewal who manipulated the elections with help of the DCO and polling staff. The petitioner contended that in fact he had won elections with a margin of 4000 votes but a large number of invalid votes were counted to benefit the respondent. The petitioner submitted that if the said invalid votes were excluded, the petitioner would had been declared as successful candidate. He further contended that provisions of section 39 (3) of the' ROPA 1976' were also not complied as his application for recounting was rejected by Election Commission and Returning Officer.
He prayed the court to order recounting of ballot papers and thereafter, declare the election of respondent as null and void. The court, accepting the request of recounting, order D& SJ Khanewal to effect such recounting in presence of parties.