SC emphasises impartiality of electoral officers, says any deviation imperils democratic order itself

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed that the discharge of electoral duties demanded scrupulous adherence to the law, transparency in action, and an unwavering commitment to impartiality. “Any deviation from neutrality or departure from the statutory framework, during the election process, imperils not merely the outcome of a particular election, but the democratic order itself,” emphasised Justice Shakeel Ahmed. Justice Ahmed observed that “only through these principles public confidence in the electoral process is sustained and the sovereign will of the electorate is preserved”. Justice Ahmed was a member of the three-judge bench that overturned the Nov 24, 2025 Balochistan Election Tribunal’s ruling and had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to notify Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party’s (PNAP) Khushal Khan Kakar as the returned candidate from NA-251 (Sherani-cum-Zhob-cum-Killa Saifullah) for the February 8, 2024 general election. Headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, the court had taken up a set of appeals moved by Kakar and his opponent, Syed Samiullah, of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam. The controversy arose after the 2024 general election, where respondent Samiullah was initially declared the returned candidate by the ECP on Feb 18, having secured 46,210 votes against the appellant’s 46,117 votes. Challenging this notification, Kakar filed an election petition before the Election Tribunal, which was partly allowed. The tribunal directed the ECP to carry out repolling at 22 disputed stations and declared the election of the returned candidate void. In his detailed reasons, Justice Ahmad observed that the electoral functionaries are trustees of the people’s mandate and custodians of the integrity of the electoral process. He explained that Form-45 constitutes a primary and contemporaneous record of votes counted at each polling station and is prepared immediately after completion of the counting process, in the presence of candidates or their du