MANSEHRA, July 24: The newly-elected Mansehra district Nazim, Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah, and Naib Nazim Syed Abdulber Shah Sherazi will be administered oath by the District and Sessions Judge, Mohammad Jehangir Khan, on Saturday.

The venue for the oath taking ceremony has been changed from the district council hall to the sports stadium owing to the strong opposition by the rival group, which lost the by-election on July 14.

There were two panels in the run for the slots of Nazim and Naib Nazim. The panel of Mr Shah had won the by-election with a margin of 59 votes grabbing 555 votes and with whom Jamaat-i- Islami leader Syed Abdulber Shah Sherazi was elected as Naib Nazim.

The panel of former senator Syed Qasim Shah with whom Shujaat Ali Khan was a candidate for the office of Naib Nazim had bagged 496 votes.

The electoral college comprising a total of 1,089 votes included Nazims and Naib Nazims and councillors from all the three tehsils of the district.

As many as 51 out of the 84-member district council, in a meeting held on Tuesday, had pledged to support Syed Qasim Shah which had created an embarrassing situation for the newly-elected Nazim Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah.

The district council needs the quorum of 42 members for opening its session which seems an uphill task for the newly- elected Nazim.

Meanwhile, a petition had been filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan requesting disqualification of the newly- elected Nazim and Naib Nazim alleging interference by the provincial government.