ISLAMABAD: An election petition must go beyond mere complaints about electoral irregularities and meet specific legal requirements, according to the Elections Act. Section 144 of the Act mandates that each alleged corrupt or illegal practice be specified with particulars, and the person alleged to have committed it must be named.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, the law requires every election petition to clearly state the grounds on which the election result is being challenged. This includes presenting a full statement of material facts and specifically alleging each corrupt or illegal practice relied upon. The petition must name the individual alleged to have committed the act and provide full particulars with enough specificity to constitute a complete cause of action if not denied.

The specificity requirement of Section 144 ensures that respondents, including the returned candidate and any person named, receive fair notice of the case against them. It also prevents the election petition process from being used for general political grievances rather than specific legal challenges. The Free and Fair Election Network documented that many election petitions filed against the outcomes of General Elections 2024 were dismissed on technical grounds, such as failing to meet the Section 144 standard.