A petition challenging National Database and Registration Authority's report regarding irregularities in the polls for National Assembly Constituency (NA-256) was filed in Sindh High Court on Thursday by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). MQM candidate Iqbal Muhammad impleaded Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Election Commission of Pakistan, Election Tribunal Karachi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate on NA-256, Muhammad Zubair Khan and others as respondents.
He submitted in his petition that his rival candidate Muhammad Zubair of PTI challenged the result of election for NA-256 constituency in Election Tribunal and filed an application seeking verification of thumb impressions on ballot papers. He said that Election Tribunal Karachi later allowed illegally PTI candidate's plea and ordered Nadra for verification of thumb impressions on votes cast at polling stations of NA-256 constituency on August 08. The petitioner submitted that following tribunal's order, Nadra submitted a report, which disclosed that of total 84,748 ballots sent to Nadra for verification of certain polling stations only 6,815 votes could be verified, and thumb impressions on 57,642 ballots could not be compared or matched through the Nadra system because the fingerprints were of very poor quality.
There were 11,343 ballot papers with invalid National Identity Card numbers; 791 votes were found to be lacking registration in the constituency; 5,839 duplicate votes which were cast by as many as 2,812; and 314 ballot papers were found without fingerprints on them.
He said that Nadra report failed to determine judiciously about the alleged malpractice in election and such report cannot be relied upon by the tribunal without support of any cogent evidence. He submitted that it will be unconstitutional and illegal to rely upon such report. He urged the court to set aside the verdict of tribunal regarding verification of thumb impressions on counterfoils and declare report of Nadra illegal, false and unconstitutional.
Another petition was filed by MQM candidate Waqar Hussain who was declared winner on provincial assembly seat (PS-128) against the verdict of election tribunal regarding verification of thumb impressions on votes cast at polling stations of PS-128 constituency. The petitioner submitted that election tribunal on September 17, allowed the application of rival candidate of PML-N Sultan Khan Johari and ordered Nadra for verification of thumb impressions on counterfoils. He said that election tribunal had passed the verdict illegally and unlawfully and requested the court to set aside the verdict of tribunal. Both petitions are expected to be taken up for hearing today.