PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday ordered re-polling at the polling stations in Nowshera’s NA-5 and Lakki Marwat’s NA-27 where women were barred from casting votes during by-elections or their percentage was low.
The Chief Justice of PHC Justice Dost Muhammad Khan had taken suo motu notice about complaints of stopping the women from exercising their right to vote on certain polling stations.
During today’s proceedings of the case, the Chief Justice directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to form an inquiry team which would evaluate the voting rate of women in NA-5 and NA-27. Re-polling will be held on the findings of the inquiry team.
The PHC Chief Justice remarked that barring women from voting was a violation of basic rights.
Moreover, he called on the government to formulate a law which would cancel the election in constituencies where votes of women were not cast.