Imran’s move to run for nine seats challenged

A petitioner has approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against former prime minister Imran Khan's decision to contest by-elections for nine seats of the National Assembly.

The petitioner, Mian Asif Mehmood, Punjab president of the Amun Taraqqi Party, requested the court to restrain the PTI chairman from contesting the by-elections in the interest of the country.

He contended that the practice of a candidate contesting elections for multiple seats needed to be addressed because of being a case of political exploitation.

He stated that Imran Khan had contested the general elections in 2018 on five seats and won all of them. He then vacated four seats and the ECP had to conduct elections for them. Several other leaders also contested for multiple seats.

He submitted that the Election Commission of Pakistan had demanded a budget of Rs50 billion to conduct the 2023 general elections, which means up to Rs.200 million for a constituency. The burden is put on the public exchequer during the by-elections on seats vacated by the wining candidates.

He requested the court that the respondent be directed not to contest any election of parliament before submitting his resignation before a competent authority as a member of National Assembly and till its acceptance. He also sought directions to relevant authorities to amend the law to regulate the eligibility criteria of the parliamentarians to contest elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2022.