PESHAWAR, Dec 6: The Election Tribunal here on Thursday dismissed appeals of three candidates challenging the rejection of their nomination papers by the returning officer for NA-1 (Peshawar-I).

The tribunal, headed by Justice Salim Khan and Justice Jehanzaib Rahim, after hearing arguments, dismissed appeals of Maulana Ismail Darwaish, Ziarat Shah Afridi and minority candidate Nasir Francis.

The nomination papers of Maulana Ismail Darwaish and Ziarat Shah Afridi were rejected on the grounds that their proposers were not voters of the same constituency.

Likewise, the tribunal rejected the nomination papers of minority candidate Nasir Francis on technical grounds.

The tribunal sought the opinion of the Deputy Election Commissioner, Shafique Ahmed, who submitted that proposers and seconders, according to election rules, should belong to the same constituency as the candidates.—APP