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Dr. Yasmín Rashid. PHOTO: APP/FILE
LAHORE:
The election tribunal has highlighted numerous flaws in a plea in which PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid had challenged the victory of Nawaz Sharif from NA-130 constituency.
Election Tribunal Judge Rana Zahid issued a detailed 24-page judgment stating that as per Article 144 of the Election Act, all legal requirements must be strictly complied with while filing an election petition.
Earlier, the court had dismissed Dr Yasmin’s petition. The court observed that the petitioner failed to comply with the mandatory legal requirements laid down in the Electoral Act.
He maintained that Dr. Yasmin’s petition did not meet the eligibility criteria established in articles 139, 142, 143 and 144 of the Electoral Law.
The ruling noted that under the Electoral Act, it is mandatory to obtain prior permission from the court to challenge any party in an election petition. He further observed that Dr. Yasmin did not file the petition within the stipulated period. Nawaz’s notice was issued on February 14, but despite the constitution of the court, the petition was not filed within the stipulated deadline.
The court noted that instead of filing the petition before the election tribunal, Dr Yasmin approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Further, he did not seek the court’s permission to make the ECP, returning officer and district returning officer parties in the case, which the court declared illegal and unconstitutional.
