The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday changed the date of NA-75 Daska by-election re-polls from March 18 to April 10, reported 24News HD TV channel

The Election Commission has issued special instructions to the Punjab government regarding the by-election of Daska and said that after the suspension and transfer of district officers, new officers need time to understand the situation ordering to appoint administrative officers on vacant posts.

On the other hand, the Election Commission, while issuing a detailed decision on the by-election of NA-75 Daska, said that the election held on February 19 was not transparent and free. The ECP in its decision said that Form 45 of 20 polling stations, which were tampered, was received late. The presiding officers were frightened and made excuses. The absence of polling staff casts doubt on the results.

The decision said that there were major violations of election laws during the by-elections in NA-75. Transfers were banned by the Election Commission in the constituency.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_AeP8wDzS8

The ECP s decision said that electoral violations in NA-75 could not be ignored. Transparent elections are our primary responsibility. The election was declared null and void under Article 218 and Section 9 of the Election Act. The Election Commission said that in the 2018 general elections, the turnout in this constituency was 55.78 percent while in the by-elections it was 46.92 percent. Polling was halted at 40 polling stations due to firing incidents.

Earlier on Wednesday, The Supreme Court (SC) Wednesday declined to issue a stay order on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) petition, in which it had prayed to the court to declare the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict ordering re-election at all polling stations of NA-75, Daska null and void, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, said that the decision on granting stay in the case would only be taken when the ECP submitted to it a detailed reply in the case.

The court, instead, directed both the petitioner, PTI candidate Ali Asjad Malhi, and the respondent, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, to bring with them the ECP’s record relating to its decision on the next hearing.

Similarly, the court also issued notices to the ECP and other parties to the case.