ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declared election tribunal’s decision to hold re-election in the constituency of Balochistan Food Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran as “null and void”.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam heard Khetran’s appeal against the tribunal’s verdict.

Election Tribunal, Balochistan, in January, 2020, had ordered to hold by-election in PB-8, Barkhan.

Abdul Rehman Khetran had won the provincial assembly seat PB-VIII from Barkhan constituency.

Rival candidate of the Balochistan National Party, Abdul Karim, had challenged the result in the tribunal alleging rigging in the election.

The tribunal had approved the petition, and ordered re-election on the seat.

Khetran was elected MPA as an independent candidate from Barkhan in 2018 general election, and later joined the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

The counsel for Abdul Karim argued that during counting, it was found that 312 ballot papers had no thumb impression, adding according to the Election Rules signature and thumb impression is a must on the ballot paper.

He said that the opponent had won election only by 65 votes.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar said now re-election was not possible. However, Abdul Karim’s lawyer told that he had filed the application in time.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020