Saiful Maluk Khokhar of PML-N, who lost to Sibtein Khan of PTI in Competition for Speaker of the Punjab Assembly last night, challenged the election of his rival in Lahore High Court on Saturday, claiming it took place in “in an illegal and unconstitutional way.”
In the Friday elections, which took place after former Speaker Parvez Elahi was declared head of the Punjab minister in together-drawn-out battle against Hamza Shehbaz of PML-N – Sibtein won with 185 votes of in total 364 and Hohar managed to get 175.
In a petition filed by Khokhar’s lawyer Mansour Usman Awan on on his behalf, MP PML-N said today that the “disputed” election of Speaker of the Punjab Assembly was held in violation of Article 226 of constitution as votes was not thrown through secret vote.
“The ballots and stubs were numbered in so that the choice made by each MPA can be identified by comparing the serial number on ballot and serial number and signatures of MPA on roots of ballot papers. As a result secrecy of ballots can be easily hacked,” Khokhar said.
“This is not a holding of elections of speaking through secret the vote is blatantly unconstitutional, illegal and without jurisdiction,” the petition reads.
Khokhar further pointed out out that in accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of provincial assembly of Punjab, 1997, the provincial governor had to determine the date for the election of a speaker after the position has become vacant.
“It’s the prerogative of governor fix date for elections of a new speaker if assembly in session as soon as possible during this session if the assembly is not in session at the beginning of in next session”, he said in a statement.
Instead, he said, permission was requested to move resolution for suspension of the relevant assembly rules, especially the governor’s authority to convene session for speaker election, in in house in panel of chairmen – whose members preside over proceedings in absence of Speaker and Vice Speaker – gave permission.
emphasizing that panel of the chairmen were from the treasury benches, Khokhar said the resolution for suspension of the meeting rules was then “rapidly” accepted by members of the Treasury.
On this basis, Khokhar urged the court to declare the speaker elected.”void” as well as issue directives for conducting a survey, “strictly in conformity with provisions of Article 226 of Constitution”.
He also asked the court to keep Sibatin from “exercising powers and functions.” of speaker” during the consideration of his petition.
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