LAHORE, March 19: An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court issued on Wednesday notice to Pakistan Awami Tehrik chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri for April 23 on a petition, challenging his return to the National Assembly from NA-127.

The tribunal also summoned Chaudhry Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, Prof Mian Ejazul Hasan, Dr Usman Malik, Muhammad Duryab Yousaf Qureshi, who lost, on the next date of hearing.

Petitioner Abdul Aleem Khan alleged that some 335 people, who did not reside in the constituency, cast votes from UC-139 on election day. Another 139 votes were cast by people registered in NA-128, he alleged.

Under the election laws, only a resident could cast vote from a particular constituency.

According to the petitioner, on completion of counting process, the presiding officer informed him that he had obtained no vote from polling station No 49 (M.C. Girls High School, Postal Colony). However, after recounting some 37 votes were found to be cast in his favour.

The petitioner claimed that his application for recounting of votes in the entire constituency was dismissed by the returning officer on the grounds that counting error discovered from one polling station did not warrant recounting of all the votes cast in NA-127.

He pleaded the court to declare the election results of NA-127 void.