PTI wants Election Commission to annul NA-249 by-election

• Petition filed by PTI seeking annulment of NA-249 by-election in Karachi.
• PTI requests by-election be declared null and void.
• PTI argues "officers of choice" were brought from the education department in Sindh as presiding officers.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan seeking annulment of the by-election in NA-249 Karachi.

PTI has requested that the by-election be declared null and void due to rigging. Before the election, 17,000 votes were transferred from NA-249 Karachi to other cities, PTI said in its petition.

The PTI argued "officers of choice" were brought from the education department as presiding officers. The PPP launched development projects to secure a victory for its candidate, the PTI said.

NA-249 by-poll: ECP says vote recount to continue despite parties’ boycott

The PTI petition further said that Form 45s were not handed over at several polling stations to polling agents in NA-249.

Shortly before PTI's petition was filed, the ECP had said vote recounting in the NA-249 constituency will continue despite a boycott by major political parties.

The ECP has clarified that according to the chief election commissioner's order issued on the PML-N’s petition, commission is bound to recount only the votes that were polled and rejected.

“Despite the boycott, the recount process will be completed as per the order,” the ECP officials said.

He added that political parties were demanding data which was not possible to retrieve.

Read more: FAFEN reports 143 violations during NA-249 by-elections

All parties, except the PPP, have boycotted the recounting process, alleging that the polling bags were not sealed when brought for the recount and that officials refused to provide Form 45 and Form 46.

‘Worst election in Karachi’s history’

Meanwhile, PTI candidate Amjad said the rights of the people of NA-249 have been stolen.

“This was the worst election in Karachi’s history where people's mandate was stolen," he said.

He appealed to the Election Commission for justice. The PTI leader said he had submitted the boycott application. “95% of the presiding officers were from the education department,” he alleged.

'Our contest was with TLP'

On the other hand, PPP’s Qadir Mandokhel has accused the ECP of being partisan and said defeat has become the destiny of the PML-N.

“Our contest was with the TLP. All parties, including the independent candidates, are inside [the returning officer's office] except for candidates of four parties.”

Read more: PM Imran Khan stresses need for electoral reforms after Karachi's NA-249 by-election

He further added that there’s no role of Form 45 and Form 46 in the recount. “They are just making excuses after losing the election.”

Recount order

PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail had requested the ECP for a vote recount over irregularities on election day, arguing that a large number of Form 45s were not duly signed by the presiding officers, adding that the polling agents of the party were also not provided Form 46.

He had further pointed out that there was a difference in the total votes recorded in Form 45 and Form 47.

After hearing arguments on May 4, the ECP had ordered that the votes would be recounted at 9am on May 6.

The recount is being held in the presence of all the candidates.