Jacobabad NA-196: Election Commission resumes vote recounting

JACOBABAD: The election commission on Monday resumed the vote recounting in NA-196 constituency, quoting sources ARY News reported.

The recounting of votes of 58 polling stations has been completed so far, according to the ECP sources.

PPP candidate Aijaz Jakhrani has been ahead by 39 votes so far, in the recounting, sources said. PTI’s Muhammad Mian Soomro has been second in the recounting of votes so far, ECP sources said.

Sukkur’s election tribunal had decided for recounting of votes after Aijaz Jakhrani had challenged the victory of Muhammad Mian Soomro in the 2018 general elections.

Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced boycott of the vote recounting.

The representatives of PTI candidate in recounting had alleged that the vote bags and envelopes have been broken and other material has been missing.

Muhammad Mian Soomro had won the National Assembly seat by securing 92,274 votes in the NA-196. PPP’s Jakhrani was runner-up with 86,876 votes.

Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench had declared Muhammad Mian Soomro’s petition against recounting of votes in NA-196 constituency as maintainable.

Federal Minister for Privatization Soomro had challenged the election tribunal’s decision for recounting of votes in NA-196.

The high court’s Sukkur bench has fixed hearing of the petition on January 12. The court has issued notices to parties, to appear in the court hearing.

Muhammad Mian Soomro’s lawyers had filed petition in the court seeking restraining order against recounting of votes.