LAHORE - The Lahore High Court Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the candidature of PML-N’s Sheikh Waqas Ahmad for NA-115, Jhang, by upholding the decision of an appellate tribunal wherein he was allowed to contest election from the same constituency.

Muhammad Imran, a voter from NA-115, had moved the petition against decision of an appellate tribunal wherein the PML-N ticket holder Sheikh Waqas Akram was allowed to contest election. He said Akram did not meet the criteria set by Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution and should be barred from contesting election. He said he had fake degree but despite that the returning officer and the election tribunal allowed him to contest election.

The petitioner alleged that Akram also concealed facts and details from the RO and Election Tribunal concerned. Therefore, he asked the court to set aside the appellate tribunal’s decision and bar him from contesting election.

However, the division bench headed by Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza dismissed the petition and upheld the decision of the appellate tribunal about the candidate of Sheikh Waqas Akram to contest election from NA-115, Jhang.

Petition against Maulana Ludhyanvi:  A Lahore High Court division bench comprising Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza and Justice Jawad Hassan refused hearing of a petition challenging candidature of Ahle-Sunnat Wal Jammat’s Chief Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhyanvi for personal reasons.

The bench sent the petition to the Chief Justice to form any other appropriate bench for hearing of the petition.

A voter Fida Hussain had moved two petitions against Maulana Ludhayanvi challenging his candidature to contest election from NA-115 and PP-126, Jhang.  He alleged that Ludhyanvi concealed  the details of his assets and a number of criminal cases had been registered against him while filing nomination papers before the returning officer. He said appellate tribunal also allowed Ludhyanvi to contest the election.

 The petitioner prayed to the court to set aside the impugned decisions and reject the nomination papers of Ludhyanvi.

LHC dismisses petition against ECP ban on activities of local govt’s representatives

The Lahore High Court Tuesday dismissed for not being maintainable  a petition  against a ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on participation of local bodies’ representatives in political activities of upcoming general election.

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza passed the order who took up the petition moved by a number of chairmen and vice-chairmen of different union councils. They had challenged the ban of the ECP and termed it a violation of Political Parties Act (Amended) 2017.  The petitioners said the ECP banned their participation in upcoming general election. They prayed to the court to set aside the ban for being against the Constitution.

Previously, Justice Shams heard the arguments and the reserved the verdict on maintainability of the petition.

The ECP through a notification had restrained the local government representatives in election campaign under Section 233 of Election Act, 2017.