GUJRAT: An election tribunal of Gujranwala has declared successful a PML-Q-backed candidate for chairman slot in Union Council-73, Karnanan, nullifying his PML-N rival’s win on Tuesday.

The ‘Q’ candidate, Chaudhry Hassan Bilal Ranian, in his petition against the winning N-League candidate Muhammad Anwar, stated that his rival had committed rigging in the local bodies polls held in October 2015.

Ranian said that out of the total 1,272 votes were cast in the union council but only 1,164 had been counted, missing out the remaining 108 votes. He said because of this irregularity the PML N candidate won by margin of only 37 votes. He had sought vote recount in the UC.

The tribunal Judge, Mr Abdul Rahman, ordered vote recount, resulting in Q candidate’s victory.

Mr Ranian is nephew of PML-Q runner up in 2013 general elections in Punjab Assembly constituency PP-113, Dinga, Kharian tehsil, Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed Ranian.

PML-Q cheif Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, senior leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and party’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Moonis Elahi, have felicitated Mr Ranian over his success.

PML-Q has already been leading a strong opposition in the district council in alliance with the PTI. With Mr Ranian declared successful, the Q’s numerical strength in the house has further increased.

Chaudhry Shujaat’s sister Begum Sameera Elahi, who was the joint candidate of both the opposition parties for district council chairman slot was defeated by a margin of 14 votes by her rival Tanveer Kotla of PML-N.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2017