Daily Times

The Supreme Court reinstated on Thursday Abdul Khaliq Achakzai as speaker of the Balochistan Assembly and annulled the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) suspension order.

The electoral watchdog suspended the notification of Achakzai’s success as speaker and ordered re-polling at the request of opposition candidate Asghar Khan Achakzai.

The decision came amid allegations of irregularities and rigging during the electoral process. The PML-N leader later challenged the ECP’s decision in the apex court.

Achakzai had emerged victorious from the constituency with 20,390 votes, securing victory over his opponent Asghar Achakzai of the ANP, who bagged 19,623 votes.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan presided over the case today and sent the matter back to the ECP with the consent of the candidates.

The court annulled the ECP’s order of re-polling on 12 polling stations of Chaman’s PB-51 constituency and also directed the electoral body to hear the candidates and decide within 10 days.

Justice Aminuddin Khan inquired “under which regulation did the ECP order re-polling at 12 polling stations”.

“The ECP looked at only 12 polling stations and ignored others,” Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar added.

“Only the polling stations with a maximum turnout of votes were pointed out in petitions,” replied the ECP’s DG law. Justice Mazhar replied that the ECP should have conducted an inquiry of the entire constituency.

The electoral watchdog had ordered the re-election at polling stations 56, 57, 61, 62, 79, 89, 90, 91, 95, 106, 129 and 130 of the PB-51 constituency.