QUETTA: A two-member bench of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday rejected the Balochistan Appellate Tribunal’s decision to disqualify Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani, PPP’s candidate for National Assembly constituency NA-264, Quetta, and declared him eligible to contest the election.

Mr Raisani had filed his nomination papers for contesting polls on NA-264, Quetta, which were accepted by the returning officer, but Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the President of BNP-Mengal, and other candidates challenged the acceptance of his papers in the Appellate Tribunal.

The lawyers for Mr Mengal and others informed the tribunal that Mr Raisani was not registered as a voter in any constituency of the country and, therefore, he could not contest election from any constituency.

The tribunal judge, Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, after the hearing accepted the appeal and rejected the returning officer’s decision and disqualified Mr Raisani.

Mr Raisani challenged the tribunal’s decision in the BHC by filing a constitutional petition.

The two-member bench of BHC comprising Justice Ejaz Swati and Justice Rozi Khan heard the petition.

The lawyer for the petitioner pleaded that the name of his client has already been registered and the Election Act, 2017, allows him to contest election.

The bench, after the hearing, had reserved the judgement which was announced on Friday.

The high court bench rejected the decision of the tribunal and allowed Mr Raisani to contest election.

The same bench also dismissed the application filed against the acceptance of Mr Mengal’s nomination papers.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2024