The Election Tribunal on Thursday sought comments from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and others on a petition filed for recounting of votes in NA-237. The tribunal headed by Justice Omar Sial of Sindh High Court (SHC) took up the petition of Abdul Hakim Baloch, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate in NA-237 in the last general election, who lost election to Captain Jameel Ahmed (r) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The petition pleaded for recounting of votes of all the polling stations and stated that polling agents on his behalf at polling stations were expelled and moreover results of the election in this constituency were announced very late.
"Forms-45 were not handed over to our polling agents," Baloch stated and prayed for recounting of votes in his constituency as according to him he was the winner in the election. The petitioner told the tribunal that relevant documents have also been submitted with the ECP in this regard.
The Election Tribunal issued notices to ECP, the winning candidate Captain Jameel Ahmed (r) for submitting their replies against the plea of Baloch and directed them to furnish their comments by September 25.
A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar had issued the directives for election tribunals to decide the constitutional petitions within fifteen days. The bench also had issued orders to hold the recounting of votes within fifteen days if the tribunal gave the decision in favour of recounting. The same bench asked Hakeem Baloch to approach the election tribunal for recounting the votes after it vacated the restraining order with regard to the notifying the victory of PTI's Jameel Ahmed.