LHC turns down Abid Sher Ali's plea for vote recount

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Tuesday rejected a request by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Abid Sher Ali seeking votes recount in the NA-108 Faisalabad constituency.

LHC judge Justice Mamoon Rasheed Sheikh was hearing the case filed by Abid Sher Ali who lost the elections by a mere 1200 votes against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Farrukh Habib.

The former state minister stated the Returning Officer had turned down his request for vote recount which was a gross violation of his rights and injustice.

The counsel for Farrukh Habib strongly opposed the vote recount and pleaded before the court to turn down the request. The court after hearing arguments from both sides rejected the request by Abid Sher Ali declaring it unsuitable for hearing.

Earlier on Friday, the LHC restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan from notifying the victory of Farrukh Habib against Abid Sher Ali.

Abid Sher has alleged that the bogus copies of Form 45 were prepared to help the Habib win the elections, and the polling agents belonging to his party were forced out of polling stations during counting of ballot papers.

Farrukh Habib had received 112,740 votes while Abid Sher Ali managed to secure 111,529 votes, defeating his opponent with the close margin of 1211 votes.

Abid Sher Ali had asked for a vote recount but instead lost around 701 votes, while Habib retained his victory with almost similar number of votes.