PTI candidates approach LHC over rejection of nomination papers for NA-133 by-poll

PTI candidates approach LHC over rejection of nomination papers for NA-133 by-poll

PTI candidates approach LHC over rejection of nomination papers for NA-133 by-poll

Lahore High Court building Photo: File

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LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema have approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the returning officer’s rejection of their nomination papers for the NA-133 by-polls on December 5.

Cheema and his wife’s nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer (RO) after they were submitted to him. The duo had then had challenged the RO’s decision before an election tribunal but the decision was upheld.

The nomination papers were rejected by the RO as their proposer and seconder were not from that constituency. Having a proposer and seconder from the constituency is a key requirement of the Election Commission of Pakistan for contesting in elections.

On November 5, the tribunal consisting of Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Jameel dismissed their appeals after hearing the arguments of the petitioners, PML-N and the ECP.

Cheema’s lawyer had claimed before the tribunal that votes of his proposers and seconders were previously in NA-133 but were later transferred to another constituency.

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“In the previous election where did they cast their votes,” the tribunal had asked. At this, the Cheemas’ lawyer had replied that their votes were registered in NA-133 at that time but now they have been bifurcated.

Following the tribunal’s decision, the PTI leaders had challenged the rejection of their nomination papers in the high court.

After receiving the petitions Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti formed a bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal to hear the writ petition.

However, on Thursday, Justice Waheed recused himself from hearing the petition and referred it to the chief justice for fixing it before another bench.

Considering this, the LHC chief justice formed a new bench comprising Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Faisal Zaman.

The case would be heard on November 15 (Monday) by the new bench.

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In their petition, the PTI leaders have appealed to LHC to set aside the rejection of their nomination papers and allow them to take part in the polls scheduled for December 5.

However, PTI insiders claim that leadership does not want to contest the polls but Jamshed Cheema is desperate to throw his hat in the ring. The leadership wants to miss the by-polls as they believe that the PTI’s graph is going down amongst masses due to rising inflation, hike in petroleum prices and unemployment in the country.

“The PTI fear that the security deposit of its candidate might be forfeited in this constituency which would lead to embarrassment for the party,” a senior party leader feared.

Tight contest expected

According to political pundits, NA-133 is considered a safe PML-N seat and the party’s candidate, Shaista Pervaiz Malik will also receive the sympathy votes as this constituency fell vacant after the death of her husband Pervaiz Malik.

They added that still a good fight can be expected from PPP leader Aslam Gill who is a veteran politician from this constituency and enjoys good support from the different castes present in the constituency.

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“The way he [Gill] is carrying out his election campaign a neck and neck contest is expected in NA-133. Former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, former information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and Syed Hassan Murtaza are devotedly running his campaign and they might give tough time to PML-N on this seat,” political insiders told Bol News.

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