LAHORE - An election tribunal of the Lahore High Court Wednesday dismissed appeals of three candidates against rejection of their nomination papers by returning officers.

The tribunal comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the appeals and upheld the decisions of the returning officers .

PML-N candidate Mian Munir Ahmad had moved the appeal saying that the RO rejected his papers for NA-125 on the ground that he was not the voter of the constituency concerned. His counsel argued that decision of the RO was baseless and the same should be set aside. However, the tribunal dismissed the appeal.

The tribunal also rejected the nomination papers of two female candidates including Abida Raja and Nargis Faiz on reserved seats from PP-145. The papers were rejected on the basis that the approver of the candidates did not belong to the same constituencies, said the appellants. But the tribunal turned down their appeals.

Taking up the appeal of former education minister Syed Raza Ali Gilani against rejection of his nomination papers for PP-185, the tribunal sought more arguments for Thursday (today).

The RO rejected his papers for concealing Mercedes Benz and income tax on agricultural land. However, his counsel Advocate Waqar A Sheikh said his client sold his car last year and had also transferred the same in the name of the buyer and paid income tax.

Four appellate benches comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, Justice Faisal Zaman, Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikhheard around 15 appeals on Wednesday and in most of the cases, issued notices to the respondents. 

The benches had also been hearing appeals of 21 other districts. Two benches comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin and Justice Viqas Rauf have been hearing the cases at the Multan bench,  Justice Masood Abid Naqvi at the Bahawalpur bench  while Justice Ibad-ur-Rehman Lodhi has been taking up appeals at Rawalpindi bench.