Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): The Lahore High Court on Thursday ordered recounting of votes in election of Hamza Shahbaz as chief minister of Punjab.
A five-member bench of the LHC comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, Justice Shahid Jamil Khan, Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry, Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh announced the verdict with a 4-1 majority.
The court also directed the Punjab Governor to summon a session of the Punjab Assembly on July 1st (Friday). “The assembly members votes recounted minus 25 defecting members,” the court added.
Hamza Shahbaz was elected CM on April 16 with 197 votes — 11 more than the required 186 — including from 25 dissident PTI MPAs.
“Hamza Shahbaz’s decisions as chief minister will not be void,” the court said.
PTI had filed five separate pleas challenging the conduct of Punjab Assembly on April 16, alongside Hamza’s election.
On May 20, those lawmakers were de-seated by the ECP for defecting.
