LAHORE: A full bench
of the Lahore High Court on Monday, granting interim relief to Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) emir Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi, allowed him to contest by-ele
ction from PP-78 Jhang.
The bench also issued notices to the respondents for December 14 for further hearing.
The Ele
ction Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had earlier announced to hold by-polls in the constituency on December 1.
The judge issued the interim order on a petition by Ludhianvi, challenging a decision of a division bench that held him d
isqualified from contesting the by-pol
ls.
The Punjab Assembly’s seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court d
isqualified Rashida Yaqoob
of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for concealing assets, upholding a decision of an ele
ction tribunal in October this year.
She was elected to the assembly in 2013 ele
ction and runners-up candidate Ludhianvi had challenged her qualification in the apex court.
On a petition by PML-N candidate Sheikh Sheraz Akram, the LHC had restrained both Rashida Yaqoob and Ludhianvi from contesting the by-polls.
Ludhianvi challenged the decision and contended that the cases registered against him were not in his knowledge at the time of filing of nominatio
n papers. He requested the court to set aside the single bench’s order.
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