KASUR: After cancellation of the annual elections of the Kasur District Bar Association due to the failure of the biometric system, the Election Board on Sunday announced the poll would now be held on Jan 23.

On Saturday, votes were cast through both biometric and manual processes in the DBA poll.

A scene was created during the polling,when one of the candidates for the DBA president’s slot alleged that some of the lawyers were casting double votes, through biometric as well as manual process.

According to some senior lawyers, the “hybrid mode”of casting votes created confusion that led to pandemonium and, eventually, the DBA poll cancellation.

According to the notification issued on Sunday by the DBA election board chairman, a lawyer, Mirza Naseemul Hassan, a candidate for president’s office, raised an objection to the voting process and demanded cancellation of the election. Later, scores of other lawyers also entered the bar auditorium where the polling process was going on and caused pandemonium.

Meanwhile, supporters of another candidate, Sardar Nabi Ahmed, also gathered in the hall, demanding that the balloting should be completed. They also had an exchange of harsh words with the rival group.

As a result, the balloting remained halted. Meanwhile, a lawyer, Mr Hassan submitted an application to the election board chairman for postponment of the electoral process. On the other hand, an application was also submitted for completion of the electoral process.

The chairman, however, cancelled the election.

The notification said the decision to cancel the polls was taken to avert law and order situation, and that the election would be held afresh on Jan 23.

Adnan Virk, an aspirant for DBA joint secretary slot, on Jan 5, had prayed to the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to hold the elections manually, instead of biometric verification. Giving the reason for his request, he explained that over 650 voters could not be included in the final list because of biometric verification and it would be a sheer injustice to deprive anyone of the right to vote.

On Jan 6, DBA election board requested the PBC to delay the elections till Jan 14. The board, in its application, stated that out of the 2,004 registered voters, 1,410 were verified through the biometric process, while 594 others could notvv be enrolled, and would cast votes through manual process.

On Jan 7, the PBC and later the Lahore High Court also turned down the board application for delay. The order said the election would be conducted manually on Jan 9 as per the section 175-G-A of the Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Council Rule 1976.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2021