NA: SC overturns LHC’s decision to reinstate vote recount in three constituencies

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has overturned the Lahore High Court’s decision declaring a recount of votes in three National Assembly constituencies null where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates had won.

A three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, heard the recount petitions in different polling stations of NA-154, NA-81 and NA-79.

The apex court approved the pleas of the PML-N leaders while restoring the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan concerning the recounting of votes annulling the decision of the Lahore High Court.

The top court annulled the Lahore High Court decision on the success of independent candidates on NA 79, 81, 154 and upheld the Election Commission judgement on the success of the PML-N candidates in the recount of votes in the Commission.

The apex court restored the ECP decision by a majority of two to one. Justice Aqeel Abbasi gave a dissenting note while the majority decision said that the ECP is a constitutional body and its decision should be respected.

The SC’s majority decision has said that the Lahore High Court judges gave unnecessary remarks to the head of the Election Commission and the members, the decision of the Lahore High Court cannot be upheld.

The court reinstated the ECP’s decision concerning the recount of votes and restored the membership of PML-N members Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Abdul Rehman Kanju and Zulfikar Ahmed.