LAHORE: The Lahore High Court dismissed a petition seeking disqualification of the PML-N Rana Sanaullah Khan, returned candidate from NA-106, Faisalabad, after terming it non maintainable.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate Dr Nisar Ahmed Jutt, who lost the July 25 polls to Sanaullah, has challenged the former Punjab law minister’s win, arguing that he “caused harm to the sanctity of Islam” thereby violating Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
The same court also disposed of Jutt’s other petition seeking a vote recount in the constituency and asked him to approach Election Commission of Pakistan. He said, however, retuning officer had rejected his plea for a complete recount. Senior advocate Azam Nazir Tarar appeared on behalf of Rana and stated that a petition for recount is already pending adjudication before the ECP. On it, Justice Mamoon Rashid disposed of the petition.
The court also disposed of a petition of PPP’s candidate from NA-114, Jhang, Faisal Saleh Hayat, seeking a complete vote recount in his constituency, directing ECP to decide the petition in accordance with law after hearing both sides. Justice Mamoon Rashid was hearing Faisal Saleh Hayat’s plea, challenging the returning officer’s decision of rejecting his recounting request.
Faisal Saleh Hayat’s counsel pleaded that he stood second in 25 July general elections by securing 16,454 votes while his opponent candidate of PTI Mehboob Sultan obtained 16,043 votes. He said 12,970 votes were rejected and the returning officer (RO) in NA-114 had stopped the practice after recounting of 10 polling stations. However, his defeat margin was decreased from 589 to 538.
He said RO turned down his plea for a complete vote recount. He requested the court to issue order for a complete recount in the constituency. The same court restrained Election Commission of Pakistan from issuing victory notification of PTI candidate from NA-118, Nankana Sahib.
The court also dismissed PML-N Abid Sher Ali’s petition for recounting of votes in NA-108, Faisalabad. PTI Farrukh Habib had won the seat in July 25 polls. Abid Sher through his counsel pleaded that his polling agents were ousted from polling stations at the time of counting of votes as well as Form-45 were not provided to his polling agents.