Pakistan SC To Hear Petition Seeking To Declare Feb 8 Polls Void

In Pakistan, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear a petition seeking to declare the February 8 general elections null and void on Monday. 

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, will head the bench which will include Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Mussarat Hilali.

The petition has made the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the federal government as respondents in the case. 

A citizen, Ali Khan, filed a petition for the court to order fresh elections within 30 days. The plea seeks general elections under the supervision and oversight of the judiciary "to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability”.

Additionally, the petition also seeks a stay order on the formation of the new government till the case is resolved.ed.

In the country's general elections held on February 8, PTI-supported independent candidates secured 92 seats, PML-N obtained 75, and PPP secured 54 seats. Various political parties and losing candidates have raised allegations of fraud in the polls.

A day earlier, the Sindh High Court (SHC) sent petitions against the results of 58 constituencies of Karachi and Hyderabad to the Election Commission.

The SHC has sent the applications of Jamaat-e-Islami's candidate Syed Abdul Rasheed from PS 106, PTI's Raja Azhar candidate from PS 95 petition against Farooq Awan PTI's independent candidate Riyaz Haider against form 47 from constituency NA 250 and Irfanullah Marwat of GDA petition against the success of Saeed Ghani to the Election Commission.

The SHC directed that the electoral watchdog hear the complaints of all the parties and take a decision before February 22 as per the law and should examine the records of the applicants in Form 45 or 47. The court has ordered that any irregularity if found, should be removed. The court disposed of the petitions._Agencies