Sargodha Elections 2024: ECP overturns postponement decision

SARGODHA: In a significant turn of events, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took swift action on Monday by nullifying the notification that had postponed the elections in NA-83 and NA-85 Sargodha.

The Chief Election Commissioner of ECP, Sikandar Sultan Raja, presided over the hearing related to the postponement of elections in these constituencies. Representatives from Sargodha’s District Returning Officer (DRO) and Returning Officers (ROs) were present during the proceedings.

A candidate affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) informed the Election Commission that he had received a notice from the returning officer indicating the death of a candidate in his constituency.

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The death certificate provided was dated January 15, although the candidate had passed away on January 2, with the funeral held on January 3. The PML-N candidate asserted that this discrepancy suggested a plot to delay the elections, and requested the ECP not to proceed with the postponement.

The Sargodha DRO, in response, confirmed the completion of an inquiry, during which evidence was presented, including statements from the deceased candidate’s mother, daughter, and the local mosque’s Imam.

Chief Election Commissioner Raja questioned why the RO had not conducted an inquiry before deciding to postpone the elections. The returning officer for NA-85 then admitted that they had been provided with a fake death certificate, and the secretary of the Union Council (UC) corroborated this claim, stating that he issued the certificate upon the son’s request.

The village head of the deceased individual informed the ECP about the unauthorized use of his signature for the forged death certificate. During the proceedings, the ECP Chief Election Commissioner reprimanded the UC secretary for inappropriate interference and noted his wrongful actions during the hearing.

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Consequently, the ECP Chief Election Commissioner annulled the RO notifications that had postponed the elections in the two constituencies and directed the resumption of the electoral process in both NA-83 and NA-85.

In response to the ECP’s decision, PMLN candidate Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha expressed satisfaction, stating that the general elections in both constituencies would proceed as scheduled on February 8, 2024. He congratulated the people of both constituencies, emphasizing that the attempt at forgery had failed, and the Election Commission had reinstated the original election schedule.