PPP candidates claimed that the election tribunal had allowed a plea for voters’ verification by ignoring legal provisions. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has further stayed, till May 5, the proceedings initiated by the Karachi Election Tribunal against the alleged bogus voting on the seats won by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
A larger bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, adjourned the hearing as the petitioner - the chief minister's lawyer, Farooq H Naek - is on general adjournment.
The proceedings, which were temporarily stayed against Qaim Ali Shah and Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Nawab Ali Wassan in August, 2013, have been extended time and again for different reasons.
Both had contested the May 11 elections on the ticket of the PPP and subsequently won the seats, PS-29 and NA-215, respectively.
Background
However, their rival candidate, Syed Ghous Ali Shah, who had contested the election on both the seats on the ticket of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, later challenged the election results before the election tribunal.
Ghous Ali Shah had alleged that the PPP candidates had rigged the polls to secure the victories. He had pleaded the tribunal order thumb impression verification on the ballots.
Subsequently, the tribunal had directed the National Database and Registration Authority to conduct a verification of votes polled in the NA-215 and PS-29 constituencies of Khairpur and submit a report.
Proceedings stayed
The PPP candidates had approached the high court against this order, claiming that the election tribunal had allowed Ghous Ali Shah's plea for voters' verification by ignoring legal provisions.
Their lawyer, Farooq H Naek, had pleaded the court set aside the tribunal's order and to temporarily stay proceedings till the final disposal of the petition in the high court.
On Monday, the larger bench took up the matter to proceed further. However, the three judges were requested to adjourn the hearing as Advocate Naek, the lawyer representing the petitioners, is on general adjournment.
Allowing the request, the bench fixed May 5 as the next date of hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2014.
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