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Dr. Yasmin Rashid. PHOTO: APP/FILE
LAHORE:
The Election Tribunal has highlighted several flaws in a plea in which PTI’s Dr. Yasmin Rashid had challenged Nawaz Sharif’s victory from NA-130 constituency.
Election Court Judge Rana Zahid issued a 24-page detailed judgment stating that under Section 144 of the Election Act, all legal requirements must be strictly fulfilled at the time of filing an election petition.
Earlier, the court had rejected Dr. Yasmin’s petition. The court noted that the petitioner did not fulfill mandatory statutory requirements under the Elections Act.
It determined that Dr. Yasmin’s petition did not meet the eligibility criteria set out in sections 139, 142, 143 and 144 of the Electoral Act.
The judgment observed that under the Election Act, prior permission of the court is mandatory to implicate any party in an election petition. It further noted that Dr. Yasmin’s failed to file the petition within the stipulated time. Nawaz’s notice was issued on February 14, but despite the constitution of the court, the petition was not filed within the stipulated time.
The tribunal pointed out that instead of submitting the petition to the electoral court, Dr. Yasmin to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Moreover, she did not seek the Court’s permission to make the ECP, the Returning Officer and the District Returning Officer parties to the suit, which the Court declared illegal and unconstitutional.
