ISLAMABAD: The deadline for receiving appeals regarding the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers of the candidates for the upcoming general elections in Pakistan will conclude today.
Decisions on these appeals are expected to be made by the 10th of this month.
The preliminary list of candidates is scheduled to be displayed on the 11th, and candidates will have until the 12th of this month to withdraw their nomination papers.
Electoral symbols will be allotted on the 13th of this month, while polling for the general elections is set to take place on the 8th of next month.
At present, approximately 100 appeals have been filed. Nine judges from the Lahore High Court are currently hearing appeals against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decisions to accept or reject nomination papers.
Challenges have been made to the acceptance of nomination papers for PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and party president Shehbaz Sharif in the election tribunals. An election tribunal is scheduled to hear an appeal today against the acceptance of Nawaz Sharif’s papers from NA 130.
Simultaneously, Appellate Tribunal Judge Risal Hassan Syed conducted a hearing of an appeal against the acceptance of Nawaz’s nomination papers. The judge issued a notice to the concerned returning officer and summoned him in person with his reply.
Imran Khan Files Apple Against Nomination Papers Rejection
PTI founder has also filed an appeal against the rejection of his nomination papers from NA 122, arguing that the returning officer unjustly rejected his papers, ignoring the facts. He has requested the tribunal to set aside the decision.
Earlier, an election tribunal headed by Justice Arshad Hussain declined to hear the appeal of PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi against the rejection of his nomination papers. Following this refusal, the appeal will now be heard by a bench led by Justice Khadim Hussain Tunio.
It is worth noting that Naqvi’s nomination papers were rejected from the National Assembly constituency NA-236.
Meanwhile, the tribunal headed by Justice Tunio issued a notice to the Election Commission (ECP) and the Returning Officer for January 4 on the appeal of Mazhar Junejo against the rejection of his nomination papers in Sindh Assembly constituency PS-86 as an independent candidate.
