Pervaiz Elahi files petition in SC against nomination papers rejection

ISLAMABAD: Former chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has filed petition in the Supreme Court to seek permission to contest general election, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Pervaiz Elahi has made the election commission and appellate tribunal as respondents.

He pleaded to the apex court to declare January 13, 2024, decision of the Lahore High Court as void.

The high court had dismissed his appeal regarding the rejection of his nomination papers by the returning officer. He contested this decision in the election appellate tribunal, where his appeal was also dismissed.

He has pleaded to the apex court that his nomination papers were rejected on the objection of a candidate Muhammad Saleem. “He objected that I have shares in a flour mill, while that mill has been inoperative, even the bank account was not opened,” Elahi said in his petition. “I didn’t buy shares of the flour mill and an inoperative mill could not be deemed an asset,” he pleaded.

“I could not be prohibited from contesting election over this objection,” he said. “The shares that are being attributed to me have total value of 24,850 rupees,” Elahi said. “I have declared 175 million rupees assets including a cash of over 57 million rupees,” he said.

“Not to declare the shares of this meagre value by me could not be termed as malicious intent,” he petitioned.

“There is another objection that I didn’t declare seven arms licenses. There is no column to fill in nomination papers with regard to arms license,” he argued.