KARACHI, June 12: An election tribunal put off on Thursday the hearing of a petition challenging Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Maher’s election as a member of the Sindh assembly from a Ghotki constituency.

Defeated PPP candidate Abdul Latif Shah has questioned the validity of Mr Maher’s election on the ground of his being a non-graduate at the time of filing his nomination papers for the October 12, 2002, polls.

As the petition came up for hearing on Thursday, Advocate Rashid Akhund filed his power of attorney on behalf of the respondent as his senior counsel. He said he needed time to prepare his brief.

Justice Ghulam Rabbani of the Sindh High Court, who constituted the tribunal, adjourned the proceedings till June 17 to enable the lawyer to prepare his case.