NA-133 by election: Another bench formed to hear PTI candidates' pleas
- By Web Desk -
- Nov 15, 2021
LAHORE: Another bench has been formed to hear petitions regarding the rejection of nomination papers of the PTI candidates, Jamshed Cheema and Mussarat Iqbal Cheema by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during the NA-133 Lahore by-election scrutiny process, ARY NEWS reported.
According to details, a division bench comprising of Justice Jawad Hassan, Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabbir would lead the proceedings of the appellate tribunal hearing pleas from the PTI candidates.
Earlier, another Lahore High Court (LHC) judge refused to hear petitions by PTI leader Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema challenging the rejection of their nomination papers for the NA-133 (Lahore) by-election.
The petitions came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and Justice Faisal Zaman. Justice Zaman recused himself from the case, after which the matter was referred to the LHC chief justice to form a new bench to hear and decide it.
The LHC chief justice last week reconstituted the bench after Justice Shahid Waheed declined to hear the petitions.
Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife approached the LHC after an election tribunal dismissed their appeal against the returning officer’s (RO) decision to reject their nomination papers.
The petitioners pleaded with the high court to set aside the rejection of their papers and allow them to contest the by-election scheduled for Dec 5.
It is pertinent to mention here that the returning officer (RO) had rejected the nomination papers of Cheema and his wife Musarrat (his covering candidate) on the ground that the proposers and seconders for the two are not residents of the constituency as required under the relevant election laws.