SARGODHA, July 30: District returning officer (district and sessions judge) Sheikh Abdul Rasheed has declared the seats of the Sargodha tehsil nazim and naib nazim vacant, keeping in view the judgment of a three-member Supreme Court bench, upon the application of Dr Liaqat Ali Khan.

The DRO has referred the case for run-off polls to the election commission and requested for election schedule and funds for conducting the polls to be contested by Sheikh Munir Ahmed and Dr Liaqat Ali Khan.

After the SC judgment, tehsil nazim Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi had left the charge but re-assumed after getting some assurance from someone from the centre.

It is learnt that the DRO has requested the election commission to fix run-off polls date after Aug 20 in view of the non-availability of returning officers due to summer vacations.

RESIGNATION: Rao Muhammad Tahir, a member of the Zila Council, has reportedly presented his resignation to naib nazim during the budget session (in progress).