LHC declares ECP's recounting order in NA-79 as void

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday declared the ECP’s order of recounting of votes in NA-79 Gujranwala as null and void, ARY News reported.

A single bench of the high court comprises of Justice Shahid Karim heard a petition of Ahsanullah Virk MNA against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order of recounting of votes in NA-79.

The bench granted the petition and cancelled the ECP’s order of the votes’ recounting in the constituency.

Earlier, the electoral body’s lawyer requested for time to get instructions from the ECP.

“The election commission has already issued notification. The time could have been granted over an ambiguity on the issue but here is the decision before us”, the bench said.

“The decisions coming from the election commission are shocking, respect to the ECP on its place, this should not be happened,” the bench remarked.

Earlier, the petitioner’s lawyer asked the bench to see the returning officer’s report.

“Why all this being happened in Gujranwala,” Justice Shahid Karim asked.