SC annuls PHC decision to suspend RO appointment in Kohat

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday nullified the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to suspend the appointment of a returning officer in PK-91, Kohat, ARY News reported.

Last week, the electoral body filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the PHC order, suspending its order about the appointment of Irfanullah as a returning officer (RO) for the provincial assembly constituency of PK-91 Kohat II, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked: “The tactics being used seem to be that some people do not want elections”.

The top judge observed another RO was appointed soon after the earlier one got ill. Peshawar High Court endorsed the appointment cancellation. The judge did not bother to issue notice on the matter, the CJP remarked.

CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa asked why ‘irrelevant’ pleas are being filed with SC.

Later, the SC while accepting the plea of ECP, nullified the decision of Peshawar High Court.

It is to be noted that the process of scrutiny of the nomination papers of spring candidates has been completed and currently Appellate Tribunals are hearing objections of the candidates across the court.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established the Election Monitoring and Control Centers to register public complaints for general election.

The ECP local chapter sources told APP that the centers had been established at provincial, divisional and district levels, extending beyond Islamabad, for swift resolution.