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Dr Yasmine Rashid. PHOTO: APPLICATION/FILE
LAHORE:
The election tribunal pointed out numerous flaws in a plea in which PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid had challenged Nawaz Sharif’s victory in the NA-130 constituency.
Election Tribunal Judge Rana Zahid delivered a detailed 24-page judgment, stating that under Section 144 of the Election Act, all legal requirements must be strictly complied with at the time of filing an election petition.
Previously, the court had rejected Dr Yasmin’s petition. The court observed that the petitioner had failed to meet the mandatory legal requirements under the Election Act.
She found 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 notes that under the electoral law, prior permission from the court is required to involve a party in an election petition. She further observed that Dr Yasmin did not file her petition within the stipulated time. Nawaz’s notice was issued on February 14, but despite the tribunal being constituted, the petition was not filed within the prescribed time.
The court pointed out that instead of filing the petition before the election tribunal, Dr Yasmin approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Further, she did not seek permission from the court for the ECP, Returning Officer and District Returning Officer to be parties to the matter, which the court declared illegal and unconstitutional.
