ECP hears JI petition against irregularities in Karachi LG Polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday heard a petition of Jamaat-e-Islami against alleged irregularities in LG election in Karachi, ARY News reported.

JI lawyer Hassan Javed in the ECP hearing argued about irregularities in presiding officer’s and the Form 11. “We have submitted all Form 11, signed by the concerned presiding officer,” JI counsel said.

Returning officers have changed the election results, Hassan Javed said. “There is difference in vote counts given in Form 11, 13 and Form 45,” he argued.

“Your case belongs to post-election irregularities,” ECP member observed. “We will look into the matter,” he said.

People’s Party’s lawyer said that the issue should be forwarded to the election tribunal. “We could take action if found any discrepancy,” commission’s member remarked.

The election commission adjourned further hearing of the case until February 07.

The ECP in an earlier hearing suspended results of UC-1 and 8 of Safoora Town and UC-6 of Chanesar Town on a plea of the JI.

The party’s lawyer told the election commission panel, hearing the case, that according to the Form 11, the JI candidates returned winners in all three union committees.

“The ROs declared opponents as successful in the results they released,” counsel Hassan Javed said. He alleged that the Returning Officer changed results and handed over two seats to People’s Party and one to the PTI.

The election commission in the previous hearing had clubbed two JI petitions against alleged change of results in Karachi’s nine union committees.