MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission has rejected appeals filed by two unsuccessful candidates challenging the election results of LA-17 Haveli.
According to an AJK Election Commission spokesperson, PML-N candidate Chaudhry Mohsin Aziz and independent candidate Khawaja Tariq Saeed Advocate had challenged the election results of the constituency.
The hearing was conducted under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Mustafa Mughal, with Senior Member Election Commission Khawaja Ahsan and Member Election Commission Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani also participating.
During the hearing, the Chief Election Commissioner and Senior Member Election Commission rejected the appeals of both candidates, directing them to approach the relevant Election Tribunal for further proceedings.
However, Member Election Commission Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani issued a dissenting note, agreeing with the arguments presented by Chaudhry Mohsin Aziz and Khawaja Tariq Saeed.
In his dissenting view, Gilani directed the Returning Officer (RO) to reconcile the results of the disputed polling stations by comparing the Form-24 results provided by Presiding Officers with the Form-24 copies provided to polling agents.
According to election laws, where discrepancies arise in such results, the majority decision of the Election Commission remains applicable.
The matter may now proceed before the relevant Election Tribunal, where the unsuccessful candidates can pursue their challenges to the election results.
