ECP barred from issuing notification

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court on Thursday barred election commission from issuing notification of Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan as unopposed returned candidate of chairman from UC 107.
Justice Shahid Karim was hearing a petition filed by a voter of the respective union council.
Petitioner’s counsel Sheraz Zaka said Mr Hassaan had held a public office as vice-chairman of LDA and also got involved with local government administration by being a director of Lahore Waste Management Company.
He said Section 27 of the Local Government Act 2013 states that a person who is in the service of a statutory body controlled by a provincial government is not eligible to contest the LG election before the lapse of two years. He said the returning officer accepted the nomination papers of Hassaan without deciding his objection.
Counsel of ECP objected to the maintainability of the petition and stated that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party. Counsel of Hassaan said the post of LDA vice-chairman previously held by his client was not profitable and did not carry any perks.
Justice Karim restrained the ECP from issuing the notification about election of Khwaja Hassaan Ahmad as unopposed until final decision of the petition. The hearing was adjourned till November 3.