LAHORE, June 20: A three-judge bench of the Lahore High Court on Friday issued notice to Attorney-General Malik Mohammad Qayyum for Saturday after hearing arguments that election laws allowing PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to contest bypolls were in conflict with the Constitution.

The bench comprising Justice Fazl-i-Miran Chohan, Justice Hasnat Ahmad Khan and Justice Ahsan Bhoon issued the notice in a petition challenging the candidature of Shahbaz Sharif.

The bench dismissed 12 applications and two petitions for becoming party to the proceedings against the candidatures of Sharif brothers, saying the applicants lacked reasons for becoming a party.

The bench also turned down a request of Akram Sheikh Advocate to suspend the proceedings and allow him to move the Supreme Court against the rejection of applications on behalf of his client, the proposer of Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Mr Sheikh said he would move the Supreme Court against the dismissal of the petition under instructions from his client.

Syed Khurram Shah, a voter, candidate Noor Elahi and Shahid Orakzai have moved the court, challenging the candidatures of Sharif brothers.

Noor Elahi says Nawaz Sharif is a defaulter, a convict and a dishonest person and cannot contest the upcoming election under the law. Khurram Shah and Shahid Orakzai say Shahbaz Sharif cannot stand in the election because he had masterminded and facilitated an attack on the Supreme Court.

Punjab Assembly Speaker and the Punjab government through Akram Sheikh and Khwaja Haris, respectively, had filed petitions for defending Shahbaz Sharif.