Ayaz expresses reservations about recounting of votes

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP):National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Saturday expressing reservations about the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) attitude, alleged that recounting of votes was being carried out in constituencies by returning officers (ROs) on their own likes or dislikes.
Ayaz Sadiq, who was accompanied by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, was talking to newsmen here outside the ECP headquarters.
He said according to the Election Act 2017, recounting of votes must be conducted if there was difference of 5 percent in the votes of the winner and the runner-up.
He claimed,“Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) President Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had lost his Karachi constituency with a difference of only 400 votes and recounting was not allowed there.”
Similarly, only rejected votes were recounted in NA-131 constituency where PML-N leader lost to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan by a margin of 680 votes, he alleged.
Ayaz Sadiq claimed that he phoned the Chief Election Commissioner for a meeting, but did not get any reply.
He alleged that there were complaints from across the country that election results at the polling stations were neither compiled in the presence of polling agents nor Form 45 was given to them.
Responding to a question, he said only the ECP had the power to reopen constituencies.
Meanwhile, responding to Ayaz’s allegations, ECP spokesperson Altaf Khan said Ayaz came to visit the office as a representative of his party. “We have received all requests and complaints on voting,” he said.
He said Ayaz Sadiq phoned the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in the morning, who told him that he could meet him today. However, Sadiq did not give any reply to the CEC’s offer, he added.