LAHORE: Announcing a reserved verdict, the Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and allowed an election tribunal to resume proceedings of a petition moved by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan seeking inspection of the ballots in NA-122, Lahore.

Relying on a judgment passed by an LHC full bench, Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that Mr Sadiq’s petition was not maintainable before the court.

The full bench had ruled that the high court could not hear pleas challenging the proceedings before election tribunal. It said the Supreme Court was the appropriate forum to agitate such matters.

Dismissing the petition, the judge also revoked a stay order earlier issued on Nov 4, 2013, against the proceedings before the tribunal.

Barrister Asjad Saeed, counsel for the speaker, announced that the LHC verdict would be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had pleaded that Imran Khan had not fulfilled technical requirements to approach the election tribunal. He said even documents attached with the Khan’s petition were not officially verified. He had taken a plea that the tribunal could not initiate proceedings on a petition lacking basic requirements.

Counsel for Mr Khan argued that the plea taken by the speaker was baseless and did not pertain to the merits of the case.

Mr Sadiq was elected from NA-122 constituency by defeating Imran Khan. The PTI chief challenged election result before a tribunal sought vote recount.

INSPECTION: The returning officer (RO) of NA-122 once again deferred ballot inspection as the district treasury failed to separate record of national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies.

RO Shahida Saeed returned the election record to the district administration with a direction to produce the same after completing the required process.

Published in Dawn, November 21th, 2014