The Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue notification of former foreign minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif as returned candidate from NA-73. Meanwhile, a division bench dismissed four Intra Court Appeals (ICAs) of Sonia Raza, Ghazanfar Abbas, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar and others against decisions regarding recounting of votes.
The ECP had opposed the appeals with an argument that the decision by a single bench could not be assailed in the high court through ICA. The court on Monday had restrained the ECP from issuing victory notification of Kh Asif in a petition of Usman Dar a runner-up candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf sought recounting of votes in the constituency.
Dar through his counsel Anees Hashmi pleaded that his polling agents were not provided Form-45 in violation of the election rules. The petitioner said the retuning officer turned down his application for a complete recounting of votes in the constituency.