PESHAWAR, Aug 30: The Peshawar High Court has dismissed three identical writ petitions seeking re-polling in different union councils of Peshawar and Nowshera districts.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijazul Hassan and Justice Ejaz Afzal directed the petitioners on Monday to approach election tribunals set up by the Election Commission for deciding election disputes.

The bench observed that once these tribunals were established, the high court could not entertain these petitions.

The three petitions were filed by candidates for the posts of nazims. The petitioners were: Mughal Baz, challenging election of Syed Liaqat Ali Shah Gillani as nazim of Amangarh union council (Nowshera district); Zaffar Khan of union council Panam Dehri (Peshawar); and Niaz Gul of union council Hassan Garhi I (Peshawar).

Barrister Masood Kausar and advocate Bashir Khan Tangi appeared for the petitioners. About the petition of Mughal Baz, Mr Kausar argued that some miscreants had taken away ballot papers from a polling station in Amangarh. He requested the court to order re-polling in the said union council.

The respondent, Syed Liaqat Ali Shah Gillani, claimed that the ballot papers were in fact taken away by the petitioner himself when they had attacked a polling station after counting of votes.

He added that an FIR was registered against an accused named Arif, who was son of the petitioner Mughal Baz, by the Nowshera police.

In the other two petitions almost identical issues raised. The bench inquired that in the presence of election tribunals could the high court decide these matters.

RECOUNTING STAYED: The high court’s bench admitted to full hearing two writ petitions filed by newly elected nazims of union council Kalabat (Haripur) and Nusratkhel (Kohat), and stayed re-counting of votes by the returning officers concerned.