LHC moved against contesting election for multiple seats

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday removed objection over a petition, against contesting election in multiple constituencies, ARY News reported.

Registrar Office of the high court had objected over the maintainability of the petition filed by a citizen Zahid Mehmood.

Justice Anwar Hussain while hearing plea against objection set aside it and directed to fix the petition for hearing.

“Politicians, contest election in more than one national or provincial constituencies. They hold one seat and surrender remaining seats,” according to the petition.

“The election commission has to hold election again on these surrendered seats,” petitioner said. “This practice is the loss of resources and violation of the constitution of Pakistan,” petitioner argued.

He pleaded to the court to impose ban on contesting elections on more than one seats at a time. “The court should order the government of Pakistan to legislate over the matter,” he further pleaded.

Former premier Imran Khan will contest for all 33 vacant seats in National Assembly (NA) by-elections, scheduled to take place on March 16, party’s senior vice-president Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced on Sunday.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had released the schedule for by-polls on these NA seats vacated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNAs.

The ECP has decided to hold by-polls on 33 NA seats on March 16, for which nomination papers can be received from February 6 to 8.