LAHORE: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Monday sought assistance from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and chairman of election board of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) to decide whether polling of the association’s upcoming election should be held manually or electronically.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was hearing a petition of Sardar Khurram Latif Khosa, one of the candidates for the LHCBA presidential slot.

The election is scheduled for Feb 25.

Mr Khosa, who enjoys backing of mostly PPP-affiliated lawyers, stated that the PBC ordered manual polling on the request of Asma Jahangir group’s candidate, Ramzan Chaudhry. He said PBC Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon passed the impugned order without any lawful reason. He claimed that 11of the total 14 candidates participating in the election were in support of biometric polling process. He argued that the PBC could not interfere in the affairs of the LHCBA.

LHCBA former president Shafqat Chohan, representing the Hamid Khan group’s candidate, told the court the bar election had been conducted through electronic polling for the last two years after an approval given by its general house.

During the hearing, members of both groups also exchanged harsh words. The chief justice will resume hearing on Tuesday (today).

Meanwhile, LHCBA election board chairman Javed Iqbal Raja told a press conference that arrangements had been made to hold the polling both ways -- biometric and manual to avoid any delay. He said the board had been waiting for the decision by the high court in the case and was fully prepared to implement the verdict. He maintained that the election, in any case, would be held in a fair and transparent manner.

He said foolproof security arrangements were being made for the polling day, adding that no irrelevant person would be allowed entry to the high court during the polling.

Mr Raja said separate polling booths would be established for women lawyers.

He said there were 21,481 eligible voters this year. As per the tradition, the elections of LHCBA are held on last Saturday of February every year.

DIRECTIVE TO HOME SECY: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Punjab home secretary to decide a representation of a non-government organisation (NGO) within two weeks challenging a government ban on its activities.

‘Taangh Wasaib’, the NGO, through a counsel contended in a petition that the home department banned its functioning in southern and other parts of the province on allegations of being involved in anti-state activities.

The counsel argued that the petitioner organisation was working for communal harmony, gender equality and human rights since 1998. The government imposed the ban on the basis of mere allegations. He said no opportunity of hearing was given to the organisation before taking the impugned action. The lawyer asked the court to set aside the impugned ban for being unlawful and allow the organisation to continue its lawful functioning.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah disposed of the petition and directed the home secretary to treat the petition as a representation (application) of the petitioner and decide the matter within a fortnight.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017