Islamabad (Web Desk): The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday rejected the plea of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to suspend the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to hold re-election in NA-75 Daska.
A three-member bench of the SC led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the petition filed by PTI candidate Ali Asjad Malhi.
Malhi argued in his petition that there was "no legal justification" for the ECP to declare the polls null and void, adding that the electoral body's order was "clearly contrary to law and facts of the case".
During the hearing, the PTI candidate's counsel asked the bench to set aside the ECP's ruling calling for re-election in the entire constituency.
Responding to this, Justice Bandial denied the request, saying that re-polling will take place for sure but it is yet to be determined whether it will be held in the whole constituency or in limited polling stations.
The bench said it will take a final decision after hearing arguments from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate's lawyer Salman Akram Raja who could not deliver his stance in court today as he was suffering from Covid-19.
On March 5, Asjad Malhi had challenged the ECP’s decision of re-election in NA-75 Daska after the electoral body declared the February 19 by-election as null and void.
The results for NA-75 Daska were withheld by the RO on PML-N’s request after the alleged disappearance of some members of the polling staff.
The ECP had first decided to hold elections on March 18 however, later, it announced a new date to hold re-polling April 10.
