LAHORE: PML-N on Saturday moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the election of PTI's Sibtain Khan as Punjab Assembly speaker, stating that the legal formalities were not fulfilled in the poll.
In its petition, filed via advocate Mansoor Usman Awan, the complaint stated that elections for the prized slot are conducted through a secret ballot as per the Constitution.
Raising questions over the use of ballot papers with printed serial numbers, the petition said it was a violation of the law and the constitution. The PML-N demanded of the LHC to declare the speaker’s election null and void.
The PML-N urged the LHC to order re-elections for the slot.
Talking to journalists after filing the petition, PML-N's Attaullah Tarar said that they have pleaded with the court to order re-elections on the slot.
Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said that they have submitted an application with the panel of chair against the speaker’s election. He urged the court to fix July 30 (today) as a date for hearing their case, adding that the assembly’s proceedings should be halted till the decision on their plea.
Meanwhile, the LHC has fixed August 1 as a date for hearing the case. A two-member bench will take up the petition.
A day earlier, the Punjab Assembly elected PTI's Sibtain Khan, who was a joint candidate of his party and the PML-Q, as the new speaker.
The Punjab Assembly speaker's seat fell vacant after the former office bearer Pervez Elahi was elected as the chief minister of Punjab on Tuesday, July 26.
Sibtain won the election after securing 185 votes while PML-N's Saif ul Malook Khokhar, who was the Opposition's joint candidate, obtained 175 votes.
Out of the 364 votes cast, four were rejected during the session, which was presided over by PTI MPA Waseem Khan Badozai. The rejected votes included three of the Opposition and one of the PTI.
Following Khan's victory, Badozai, who is the panel chairman, administered an oath to the speaker.
Sibtain, after taking charge of the speaker's post, thanked the Assembly for entrusting him with the respect of the House.
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