ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: The Election Commission on Monday accepted appeals of three candidates out of a total of 14 filed against rejection of nomination papers for the Senate elections by returning officers and announced Leader of the House in the Senate Waseem Sajjad as elected unopposed.

Ten appeals were rejected by the commission while one was withdrawn.

From the federal capital two appeals of Dr Nisar Ahmed Sheikh and Mazhar Ali Chaudhry for the technocrat seats were rejected by the member of the commission, Justice Nasim Sikandar, of the Lahore High Court.

After the rejection of two appeals from the federal capital for the technocrat seat, Waseem Sajjad remained the only candidate in the field, therefore he has been declared by a public notice by the returning officer concerned to have been elected uncontested.

From Punjab, the same judge accepted the appeals of Mohammad Akbar Khawaja for general seat and Dr Israr Hussain Shah on technocrat seat but rejected the plea of Chaudhry Cecil S. Samuel for the general seat.

The appeal of Haroon Bilour for technocrat seat from the NWFP was also rejected.

Five candidates had appealed from Balochistan against the rejection of their nomination papers, which were rejected by the Balochistan High Court. Mohammad Akram and Mohammad Yousaf were contesting for the general seat, while Arbab Hashim, Mohammad Sajid Tareen and Dr Sardar Mohammad Hussain were vying for technocrat/Ulema seats.