The judicial commission investigating alleged rigging in General Elections 2013 on Monday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit Form 15 (ballot paper account) of 12 National Assembly constituencies which received extra ballot papers.
As the commission’s proceedings began on Monday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk said that 9 per cent extra ballot papers were printed for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Asad Umer’s NA-48 constituency, 21 per cent extra ballots for Hamza Shahbaz’s NA-119, 28 per cent for Saad Rafique’s NA-125 while 90 per cent extra ballots were sent to polling stations in Ghulam Sarwar’s NA-53 constituency.
The ECP’s counsel said that they had collected records of 260 out of 272 constituencies while they were yet to receive records from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constituencies.
On Saturday, PTI had submitted an application asking the commission not to wind up its probe and to look into further areas to ascertain if the 2013 polls were rigged. The request by the PTI came just as the enquiry commission was winding up the process of recording evidence from witnesses.
The enquiry commission should carry out investigation of returning officers (ROs), PTI’s counsel Hafeez Pirzada pleaded during proceedings of the three-judge commission yesterday.
“This is an enquiry commission and it will remain an enquiry commission,” the CJP said, adding that the commission did not have stages. “You should submit your recommendations and we will see to them. The commission has not shown any restraint in exercising its powers,” he told Pirzada who admitted that several facts had surfaced following commission’s proceedings.
“It has also become clear which constituencies received extra ballot papers. PTI will cooperate with the commission on the matter of those constituencies which received extra ballot papers,” the PTI’s counsel said.
The commission’s proceedings were later adjourned and will resume at 1pm today (Tuesday).
