LAHORE: In an election marred by allegations of rigging, the Hamid Khan-led professional group on Saturday notched the slot of Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) president for the year 2026-27.

According to results announced by the election board, Babar Murtaza secured 6,234 votes to win the presidential slot.

His opponent, Raja Amir Khan of the Ahsan Bhoon-led Independent group, received 3,781 votes. Murtaza defeated his rival by a margin of 2,453 votes.

For the post of secretary, Qasim Ejaz Samra secured the highest number of votes among four candidates, winning with 5,429 votes.

Interestingly, Samra was supported by both groups - the professional and the independent.

His competitors included Lehrasib Dahar, who received 1,880 votes, Rai Muhammad Ali Kharal with 1,778 votes and Sajjad Hussain Tarar with 902 votes.

Sohail Qaiser Tarar was elected vice president with 4,160 votes. His opponents, Sheikh Haseeb Bin Yousaf received 3,639 votes, Qamar Shahid Mayo secured 1,634 votes and Faisal Mehboob Malik obtained 528 votes.

For the post of finance secretary, Malik Ali Raza Khokhar was elected among eight candidates with 2,068 votes.

Four women were also in the contest for this position.

Polling for the elections began at 9am and lawyers cast their votes through biometric verification.

The Ahsan Bhoon group raised objections to the election results and expressed dissatisfaction. The supporters of both rival groups, independent and professional, scuffled with each other and tossed ballot boxes.

Raja Amir along with his supporters occupied the committee-room of the bar and held a ‘house meeting’.

Talking to Dawn, Bhoon said his group had been demanding the bar’s cabinet to get the forensic of the biometric system conducted following complaints of malpractice in the previous year polling.

He said the outgoing cabinet had initially agreed for the forensic examination but later backtracked on one pretext or another.

He claimed this time again many members complained that the biometric system showed their votes were “already cast.”

He said the outgoing cabinet and leaders of professional group had agreed that the final result would be announced on Monday after the forensic examination of the voting system, but the election board made the announcement.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026