HYDERABAD, Jan 4: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday issued notices to a returning officer a general councillor and the election tribunal Nawabshah.

The notices were issued on a constitutional petition, filed by Mohammad Saleem, challenging the ex parte decision of the election tribunal, removing him from the general concillor’s post and declaring his opponent as the successful candidate.

Ali Akbar Lakho had filed the petition on behalf of Saleem.

The petitioner said that in the local bodies elections, he obtained 736 votes against Khawand Bund and was declared successful on the seat of general councillor by the RO of Kumb Leema union council-35, Sakrand taluka.

He said the result was notified in the gazette and he continued to discharge his official duties.

The petitioner told the court his opponent, in collusion with the RO concerned, manipulated the election record and filed an election petition before the ET, Nawabshah.

He said he did not receive any notice and on Nov 4 an order was passed by the tribunal ex parte, declaring his opponent as the successful candidate.

He said after hearing the information on Nov 8, he verified it from the RO’s office and came to know that the tribunal had passed the order on the report of RO.

The petitioner’s counsel argued the impugned order was based on the report of the RO which was falsely managed, adding his client was rightfully declared successful and any order, passed without hearing him, had no legal effect.

The counsel said the order was without jurisdiction and requested the court to declare the order, declaring his client’s opponent successful, as illegal and void.

He prayed the court to call the record and proceedings of the case from the ET and, after hearing the parties, set aside the tribunal’s order. The matter was fixed for Jan 15.

CONVICT: A convict was admitted to the central jail hospital after he was found injured in the jail’s kitchen here on Saturday.