QUETTA, Dec 5: A leader of the provincial PML-Q and the losing candidate from NA-260 (Quetta-cum-Chaghai-Mastung) filed an election petition in the Balochistan Election Tribunal here on Wednesday.

Baloch Khan Mengal filed the plea against all the candidates contested from the constituency, including the winner, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed of the Mutthida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

Mr Mengal has alleged that bogus votes were cast in about 30 polling stations of the constituency during Oct 10 elections. He has prayed to the tribunal to declare election of the returned candidate null and void, and instead he may be declared successful or re-polling in all the 30 polling stations should be ordered.

He has informed the tribunal that the returned candidate in connivance with the staff of polling station and the Election Commission changed the result by counting votes incorrectly.

The Election Tribunal, comprising Balochistan High Court Judge Mr Justice Akhtar Zaman Malghani, admitted the petition and fixed Dec 12 for hearing the plea.—APP