Scrutiny of nomination papers for mayor’s post underway

ISLAMABAD: The district election commission on Wednesday rejected the nomination papers of its potential candidate and current deputy mayor Chaudhry Riffat Javed for the vacant seat of the mayor.

The election commission also rejected the papers of Sajid Abbasi (PML-N) along with PTI’s Mohammad Rafiq and Khurram Bakhtiar.

Sources said the nomination paper of Riffat Javed were rejected on the basis of Local Government Act under which deputy mayors cannot contest the elections of mayor. The nomination papers of the other candidates were rejected due to various reasons.

The sources said the deputy mayor was a strong candidate and a close relative of former MNA and president of PML-N Islamabad chapter Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. The PML-N has 45 members in the MCI compared to 25 of the PTI.

The seat of the mayor fell vacant on Oct 1 after the surprise resignation of Sheikh Anser Aziz.

Other PML-N leaders whose nomination papers have been accepted included Sardar Mehtab, Zaheer Shah, Wasim Sana Malik, Pir Adil Shah, Azhar Mahmood and Sajid Mahmood.

Nomination papers of PTI members Sheeraz Kiani, Malik Amir, Malik Sajid and Ahmed Khan have also been accepted.

The five-year term of the mayor will expire in February-March 2021 and the election will be held on Dec 28.