Supreme Court Rejects People’s Party Recount Petition in PB-14 Balochistan
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the People’s Party for a recount in Balochistan’s PB-14 constituency, upholding the victory of PML-N candidate Muhammad Khan Lehri. The petition was brought forward by People’s Party candidate Ghulam Rasool, who alleged favoritism by Returning Officers and irregularities in the election results.
Case Details and Allegations
The three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, heard the case. Advocate Shahid Rasool, representing the petitioner, argued that the results at seven polling stations were inaccurate and that Form 45 was not correctly filled, implying bias by the presiding officers.
However, Chief Justice Isa questioned the basis of the allegations, emphasizing that “the most important evidence in elections is the vote” and once the ballot boxes are opened, forms like 45 and 75 lose their significance.
Rejection of Bias Allegations
Justice Shahid Bilal also remarked that the records did not substantiate the petitioner’s claims. Chief Justice Isa asked the petitioner to prove bias by the officers but found no concrete evidence to support the allegations.
The petitioner claimed that the presiding officers were fraudulent, but the Chief Justice urged him to present facts and legal grounds instead of repeating accusations.
Verdict
The Supreme Court ultimately rejected the plea for a recount, affirming the victory of Muhammad Khan Lehri from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Chief Justice Isa stressed that decisions are made based on evidence and records, “not on accusations without proof.”
This ruling brings an end to the legal challenge regarding the PB-14 election results, reinforcing the importance of factual evidence in election disputes.