GB's Supreme Appellate Court suspends election results for candidates of 3 constituencies

Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan suspended the election results in three constituencies on Friday, while consolidated results for another — GBA-16 — could not be issued despite an order from the GB chief election commissioner (CEC).

The election process has been delayed since June 7, prolonging the formation of the GB government.

The chief justice heard various election-related petitions on Friday concerning PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad from GBA-9 (Skardu), PPP candidate Mohammad Naseem from GBA-17 (Diamer-III), and independent candidate Dilpazeer Khan — who later joined the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) — from GBA-15 (Diamer-I).

Nashad, the PPP candidate from GBA-9, was disqualified by the returning officer (RO) for failing to declare his assets in his nomination papers.

An election tribunal judge had also upheld the decision to disqualify the candidate; however, he later challenged it in the GB chief court, which allowed him to contest the elections.

According to the regional election commission, he was declared the winner after a recount of votes, and Forms 48 and 49 were issued on Wednesday.

During a hearing on Friday, however, the chief justice upheld Nashad’s disqualification and also suspended the release of the election results for the constituency.

In another case, Justice Shamim ordered the suspension of the election result of PPP candidate Mohammad Naseem from GBA-17 (Diamer-III).

On June 15, the GB chief election commissioner (CEC) had issued an order in the candidate’s favour, while the returning officer (RO) had issued Forms 48 and 49. However, the decision was challenged by an opposing candidate in the Supreme Appellate Court.

In a separate case, the chief justice suspended the election result of independent candidate Dilpazeer Khan from GBA-15 (Diamer-I), who later joined the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).

In all three cases, the chief justice also directed the concerned authorities to keep the results of the constituencies suspended until further court proceedings and final decisions in the cases.

A petition was filed in the court challenging the CEC’s decision to declare Dilpazeer Khan the winner without conducting a re-poll.

Meanwhile, despite an order by the CEC, the consolidated result of GBA-16 (Diamer-II) could not be prepared.

The CEC had directed the returning officer (RO) to count the postal ballots and prepare Forms 48 and 49 within one day.

However, supporters of independent candidates gathered outside the RO’s office in an attempt to prevent the counting of ballots.

On June 17, the CEC had issued a decision on the election petition of the constituency’s PPP candidate Attaullah Khan. He also issued directions to begin preparing the consolidated result after the counting of postal ballots.

The CEC had also suspended his earlier order to conduct re-polling at three stations of the constituency.

Supporters of independent candidate Imam Malik in the constituency have been protesting in favour of re-polling at certain polling stations.

Initially, the GB chief election commissioner (CEC) had issued a schedule for re-polling at three polling stations in the constituency on a petition filed by Malik.

On the other hand, Attaullah had also filed a petition challenging the re-polling at the same three polling stations.

Attaullah’s supporters have been protesting outside the district returning officer’s (DRO) office in Chilas, demanding implementation of the GB CEC’s orders to prepare consolidated results after counting postal ballots and announcing the constituency’s final result.

He said an attempt was being made to snatch the mandate of the PPP candidate in GBA-16.

PPP protesters said that according to Form 47, Malik had secured 24 more votes than the PPP candidate; however, according to official figures, Malik had only 180 postal votes, while Attaullah had 473 postal votes.

They said that, according to Form 48 records, PPP’s Attaullah had won the election by 269 votes.

When Dawn contacted GB CEC Raja Shahbaz Khan, he said he had disposed of the petition and ordered the consolidation of the results. “It is up to the RO to count the postal ballots and prepare Forms 48 and 49.”

He added that he was bound to issue notifications for the winning candidates within 15 days from the polling day.

The CEC had clarified that elected members of 24 constituencies would be notified 14 days after the polling day. However, he also said the notification would be issued after the issuance of Form 49.

In another development, PTI-backed independent MPA-elect from Hunza, Naiknam Karim, joined the PPP on Friday, with the chief election commissioner (CEC) issuing a confirmation letter of his joining the party.

The PPP has emerged as the largest party, with 12 seats in 24 members in the GB assembly.

The six women-reserved seats and three technocrat seats will be distributed among parties according to their general seat ratio.

The ECP directed earlier this month that the results of the June 7 election must not be consolidated until re-polling in five constituencies was complete, including GBA-15 and GBA-17.