Losing candidate alleges rigging in bar elections

LAHORE

A new controversy has arisen in election of the Lahore High Court Bar Association as one of the losing presidential candidates has declared it rigged and demanded recounting of the ballot papers.

Ramzan Chaudhry, one of the candidates, has given an application to election board chairman requesting him to immediately hold recounting of the ballot papers and until the final disposal of the application and recounting, the handing over of the charge and celebrations of the election be restrained.

In the application, he submitted that the LHCBA election was conducted on 25th of February and the result was announced on the basis of biometric count.

The ballot papers have not been counted despite a prior agreement and commitment made in writing during the pendency of the writ petition challenging holding the election through biometric.

He submitted that being a candidate he was not satisfied with the biometric announcement of result and requested for counting of ballot papers printed in result of cast vote through biometric as per agreement and commitment made prior to the election.

The biometric result was announced at about 12am and due to security measures, the entry to the high court premises was restricted and as per the instructions issued by the election board, he himself and his supporters vacated the premises, he said. Under the circumstances, he requested to count ballot papers immediately preferably today (Tuesday) and the result be declared on the basis of count of the ballot papers.