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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday rejected two petitions filed by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq against an election tribunal's decision pertaining to vote recount in NA-122 constituency. Sadiq, in his petition, had also accused tribunal judge Kazim Ali Malik of committing contempt of court.
Justice Ijazul Hassan of the LHC said Sadiq's petitions were non-maintainable as decisions of election tribunals could not be challenged before high courts.
Read: LHC admits contempt petition against tribunal judge
Commenting on the LHC's decision, Sadiq said the ruling was contrary to the law and added that he would now approach the Supreme Court in this regard.
An election tribunal on December 8 had accepted Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's request for opening ballot bags in NA-122 to investigate allegations of rigging. A single-member commission had been ordered to check the records after opening ballot bags for the said constituency.
Also read: Election tribunal orders opening of ballot bags in NA-122
Moreover, on Dec 15, the LHC had admitted for hearing petitions filed by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in which he had challenged the election tribunal's decision. Sadiq had also accused tribunal judge Kazim Ali Malik of committing contempt of court.
Sadiq had said that Imran's appeal for vote recount was illegal and requested the LHC to reject his plea.
In his petitions, the NA speaker had also said that the tribunal’s decision was in violation of the Supreme Court’s order which stated that the tribunal should should first determine the maintainability of the petition filed by Imran and then take the case forward.
He moreover said the tribunal judge had heard Imran and his six witnesses but had not heard the speaker and his witnesses.
Earlier, Sadiq had filed an appeal with the tribunal against opening of ballot bags which was rejected by the tribunal judge.
NA-122 is one of the four constituencies where the PTI has sought a recount and verification of voters’ thumb impressions. Sadiq had defeated Imran in the 2013 general elections and the PTI had challenged the results.
