Ballot row: LHC takes notice of Imran Khan’s absence

“The PTI came to the court seeking relief but did not respond to the notices,” says chief justice Bandial.

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday issued another notice to PTI Chairman Imran Khan after he failed to reply to a petition challenging an Election Commission order.

The chief justice noted that no one representing the PTI had appeared. “The PTI came to the court seeking relief but did not respond to the notices,” he said.

The chief justice issued another notice for the PTI chief for September 25.

A representative of the ECP sought time to submit his reply.

The ECP had ordered inspection of election records by the returning officer at NA-122, Lahore, where National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq defeated Khan in the May 11 general elections.

Khan later filed an application with the ECP for the inspection of election records.

On June 18, the ECP allowed the application and directed the returning officer to inspect the documents.

Sadiq objected, through his counsel, arguing that returning officer’s mandate was over. He said the retuning officer no longer held election records as they had been forwarded to the ECP.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2013.