ECP withdraws Awn Chaudhry’s victory notification in NA-128. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken a significant step in response to mounting legal challenges surrounding the outcome of the general elections in NA-128 Lahore.
In a notable development, the ECP withdrew a notification confirming the victory of Awn Chaudhry, leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), in this constituency.
This decision came to light during a hearing at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), where Barrister Salman Akram Raja, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate in NA-118, presented a petition contesting Chaudhry’s victory.
Raja’s petition urged the court to suspend the notification of Chaudhry’s win, citing alleged irregularities.
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Arshad Khan, the Director-General Law of ECP, informed the IHC that the commission would reach a decision after thoroughly examining Raja’s plea.
This indicates a commitment to addressing the legal challenges surrounding the election outcome in NA-128.
Prior to this, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had intervened, issuing an order prohibiting the ECP from releasing the election result for NA-128.
This move followed allegations by Salman Akram Raja that the returning officer (RO) had violated electoral laws by withholding the election result.
According to provisional results shared by the ECP, Awn Chaudhry, supported by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), secured victory in NA-128 Lahore with 172,576 votes, defeating the PTI-backed independent candidate who garnered 159,024 votes.
This development underscores the legal complexities and challenges often associated with electoral processes, particularly in closely contested constituencies.
As ECP withdraws Awn Chaudhry’s victory notification in NA-128, it emphasizes the critical need for transparency and adherence to electoral laws to uphold the integrity of the democratic process in Pakistan.
