The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday constituted a three-member bench — for the third time — to hear the petitions challenging the candidature of PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz for the NA-120 by-election after two previous benches were dissolved.

The three-member bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, will start proceedings on the case next week while the elections on the seat left vacant by Nawaz Sharif's ouster are set to take place on September 17.

The other two members of the bench include Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi and Justice Shahid Jameel.

On Wednesday, the three-member full bench of the LHC constituted to hear the case was dissolved after Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza refused to hear the case for “personal reasons”.

Justice Aminuddin Khan, who was set to lead the bench, referred the petitions to the LHC chief justice for the constitution of a new bench to hear the matter.

Last week, a full bench formed on the same petitions also dissolved after its head, Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan, recused himself from the case for the same reasons.

PPP candidate Faisal Mir, Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Nabeel Shahzad of the Milli Muslim League (MML) had filed the petitions against the decisions of returning officer and an election tribunal whereby nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz were accepted.

The petitioners mainly contended that the RO and the tribunal set aside objections raised to the candidature of Kulsoom and accepted her nomination papers.

They pleaded that neither the RO nor the tribunal looked into the details of the objections, including concealment of assets by the PML-N’s candidate. They alleged that the declaration by Kulsoom regarding her and her spouse’s assets were entirely false and misleading.

One of the petitioners also said that Kulsoom concealed an FIR lodged on treason charges against her during Musharraf regime. He alleged that the PML-N’s candidate also concealed her assets and income in the nomination papers. He said the respondent candidate showed herself as a dependent of her spouse Nawaz Sharif, however, she was a share holder in many companies.

He added that Kulsoom also failed to disclose the agreement and salary for a UAE Iqama (work permit) attached with her nomination papers. He said the candidate was also a defaulter of agriculture income tax and concealed details of her Murree residence.

The petitioners have asked the court to set aside the decisions of the RO and the election tribunal and reject the nomination papers of Kulsoom Nawaz for the by-poll.