LAHORE: An election tribunal comprising a Lahore High Court judge on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on three separate petitions challenging the victory notifications of two PML-N leaders from Narowal in the Feb 8 polls.

PTI-backed independent candidate Javaid Safdar Kahlon filed an election petition against the victory of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal from NA-76, Narowal.

The PML-N senior leader had secured 136,279 votes and the petitioner stood runner-up with 109,309 votes.

The petitioner alleged that massive rigging and irregularities were committed on the polling day.

He contended that the ECP did not issue Forms 45 and 46, but declared the success of the respondent on the basis of Form 47. He asked the court to declare the notification of Iqbal’s success null and void.

Separately, PTI-backed independent candidate Dr Tahir Ali Javed and senior politician Danyal Aziz challenged the election of Anwarul Haq Chaudhry from NA-75, Narowal.

Mr Aziz had contested the Feb 8 polls as an independent candidate after the PML-N denied him a ticket. Chaudhry won the election with 99,625 votes against 75,626 bagged by Dr Javed and 50,984 by Mr Aziz.

In their election petitions, both losing candidates leveled allegations of rigging against the returned candidate of the PML-N. They alleged that their polling agents were not provided with the Form 45 and asked the tribunal to set aside the election of the respondent, ordering a fresh poll in the constituency.

In all the petitions, the tribunal comprising Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad issued notices to the ECP and other respondents for submission of their replies within a week.

ECP: The Lahore High Court on Monday granted more time for preparation to a petitioner who sought formation of a new Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under the supervision of a sitting judge.

Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan heard the petition by one Talib Hussain, as an objection case as the registrar’s office questioned its maintainability.

The petitioner in person argued that the petition was maintainable before the Lahore High Court under Article 199 of the Constitution.

The chief justice observed that it was not necessary under the Constitution that the chief election commissioner (CEC) should be a high court judge. He noted that it was not written anywhere that only a judge can be appointed as CEC.

“Even a technocrat could be appointed as CEC,” the chief justice remarked. The justice adjourned the hearing till May 15, and directed the petitioner to prove with legal references that the petition was maintainable.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2024