NA-122 tribunal proceedings: LHC reserves verdict
RO issues to Imran Khan, Ayaz Sadiq for record inspection on November 20
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging an election tribunal's proceedings on rigging allegations in NA-122, while the returning officer of the constituency has summoned both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for record inspection.
Appearing in court on Tuesday, the counsel for Sadiq contested that all the petitions filed by PTI chief against his client were incomplete as necessary documents were missing, adding that the eligibility and candidacy of a person cannot be challenged in court with incomplete documents. He urged the court to stop the tribunal from holding proceedings on such applications against his client.
However, the counsel for PTI chief argued that as per the order of a full bench of the LHC, the court cannot interfere into the proceedings of the tribunal. He prayed the court to dismiss the petition and declare its earlier stay order null and void, so the tribunal can continue its proceedings.
After hearing both sides, Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the LHC reserved his verdict.
RO issues notices to Imran, Sadiq for record inspection
Meanwhile, the returning officer assigned to NA-122 issued notices to Khan and Sadiq to appear on November 20 for inspecting electoral record NA-122.
Previously, RO Shahida Saeed had delayed the inspection of the record since complete record of the constituency was unavailable because the records of NA-122 and its respective provincial assembly constituencies, PP-147 and PP-148, were mixed in bags.
Subsequently, permission was sought from Election Commission Punjab for separation of the record.
Once permission is granted, treasury department will separate record of provincial assembly seats from the record of NA-122 under the supervision of the RO. These records will then be presented for the candidate's inspection.
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate and the incumbent Speaker of National Assembly, Sadiq had defeated the PTI chief during 2013 general elections.
On May 13, 2014, the LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had referred the issue of inspection of election record in NA-122 to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging an election tribunal's proceedings on rigging allegations in NA-122, while the returning officer of the constituency has summoned both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for record inspection.
Appearing in court on Tuesday, the counsel for Sadiq contested that all the petitions filed by PTI chief against his client were incomplete as necessary documents were missing, adding that the eligibility and candidacy of a person cannot be challenged in court with incomplete documents. He urged the court to stop the tribunal from holding proceedings on such applications against his client.
However, the counsel for PTI chief argued that as per the order of a full bench of the LHC, the court cannot interfere into the proceedings of the tribunal. He prayed the court to dismiss the petition and declare its earlier stay order null and void, so the tribunal can continue its proceedings.
After hearing both sides, Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the LHC reserved his verdict.
RO issues notices to Imran, Sadiq for record inspection
Meanwhile, the returning officer assigned to NA-122 issued notices to Khan and Sadiq to appear on November 20 for inspecting electoral record NA-122.
Previously, RO Shahida Saeed had delayed the inspection of the record since complete record of the constituency was unavailable because the records of NA-122 and its respective provincial assembly constituencies, PP-147 and PP-148, were mixed in bags.
Subsequently, permission was sought from Election Commission Punjab for separation of the record.
Once permission is granted, treasury department will separate record of provincial assembly seats from the record of NA-122 under the supervision of the RO. These records will then be presented for the candidate's inspection.
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate and the incumbent Speaker of National Assembly, Sadiq had defeated the PTI chief during 2013 general elections.
On May 13, 2014, the LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had referred the issue of inspection of election record in NA-122 to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).