Over one-third petitions of 2024 polls yet to be decided

More than two years after the general elections 2024, over one-third of election petitions challenging poll results are still awaiting final adjudication, with 128 cases yet to be decided by election tribunals across the country. According to the latest report issued by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), among the disposed cases, 73 out of 124 petitions related to National Assembly constituencies and 173 out of 250 petitions concerning Provincial Assembly seats had also been concluded. The election watchdog, in its 9th update on election tribunals released on Monday, said that by the end of April 2026, tribunals had disposed of 246 out of 374 petitions—representing 66 percent of all cases filed against the outcomes of elections in 113 National Assembly and 236 Provincial Assembly constituencies. Under Section 142 of the Elections Act, candidates can challenge election results within 45 days of the gazette notification of returned candidates, while Section 148(5) requires election tribunals to decide each petition within 180 days of filing. However, the legally prescribed deadline for disposal expired in October 2024. FAFEN observed that tribunal proceedings extending beyond the statutory period are subject to special conditions, including mandatory costs for adjournments, written reasons for tribunal-initiated delays, and possible suspension of assembly membership if delays are attributed to returned candidates.