Formation of commission for vote recounting delayed

PESHAWAR, Sept 12: The formation of a commission to recount rejected votes and postal ballot papers in upper Chitral’s provincial constituency was on Thursday put off to September 19 as the tribunal member did not turn up. On September 2, the election tribunal of Peshawar High Court had ordered that a one-man commission should be formed to recount the rejected votes and postal ballot papers in PK-90 upper Chitral. The decision was taken on the petition of PPP candidate Sardar Hussain who lost the election to APML’s Ghulam Mohammad by only seven votes. The PPP candidate had alleged widespread rigging in some polling stations besides in counting and rejection of votes. In the May 11 elections, Ghulam Mohammad bagged 10,848 votes and was declared the winner while Sardar Husaain was left as as the runner-up with 10,841 votes. When the two sides along with their lawyers reached the tribunal on Thursday, the retired judge who was to form the commission did not turn up and the proceedings was put off to September 19. After the formation of the one-man commission on September 19, the commission will announce a date to recount the rejected votes and postal ballot papers. It will also decide where the recounting will be held – in Peshawar or Chitral – because the ballot boxes are still in Chitral. It may also be noted  that the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal fled by Ghulam Mohammad to stop the recounting process.]]>