Daily Times

The Supreme Court has dismissed PML-N leader Ali Gohar Baloch’s review petition seeking a vote recount in NA-97.

A two-member bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the case regarding the recount request from Baloch, who had contested the 2018 elections in the constituency.

During the proceedings, Baloch’s lawyer argued that the request for a recount had been submitted before the results were finalized, and that the application was already on record. However, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan remarked that new evidence cannot be presented in a review petition after the case has been decided. He further noted that the Returning Officer’s decision could have been influenced by external factors.

The court questioned why Baloch’s legal team was only bringing this matter up after the case had already been settled. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan added that no request for an adjournment was made during the last hearing, raising doubts about the timing of the appeal.

After a brief recess, Baloch’s lawyer confirmed that his client wished to proceed with the case on merit. However, the bench maintained that while the election tribunal could have been an appropriate forum for this case, Baloch’s petition to the tribunal had already become time-barred.

Ultimately, the court dismissed the review petition. Earlier, on August 21, the Supreme Court had rejected Baloch’s appeal against the High Court’s decision, ruling that he had failed to prove that the recount request had been filed before the election results were compiled.