The Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to overturn the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict on the recount of votes in three National Assembly constituencies, as reported by media News, carries significant weight. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa, leading a three-member bench, announced the decision regarding the vote recounts in the following constituencies: NA-154 Lodhran, NA-81 Gujranwala, and NA-79 Gujranwala. However, Justice Aqeel Abbasi dissented from the decision, adding a layer of complexity to the situation.
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The case, which began with Azhar Qayum Nahra of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) contesting the LHC’s decision to suspend his victory notification from NA-81, showcases his determination and active involvement in the legal process. Initially, PTI-backed independent candidate Chaudhry Bilal was declared the winner by a margin of 7,791 votes in the general elections of 2024. However, following a recount requested by Nahra, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) declared Nahra as the returned candidate, with a margin of 3,100 votes. Notably, at least 10,000 of Nahra’s votes were declared cancelled during the recount, highlighting the intensity of the dispute.
In response, Bilal challenged the ECP’s decision in the Lahore High Court. On April 4, the LHC set aside the notification of Azhar Qayum Nahra’s victory from NA-81 and ruled that the election commission could not entertain complaints against election disputes once election tribunals began their work.
