FPCCI asked to hold polls on 31st

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC), dismissing prayers of the petitioner Capt. Abdul Rasheed Abro, has ordered to conduct the annual election of a president and seven vice-presidents of FPCCI on January 31, a press release of FPCCI said on Friday.

It said the court appointed Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui, deputy attorney general (DAG), as the returning officer to supervise the elections. The court ordered: “The elections of president and vice-presidents shall be held in accordance with Article 15 of the Articles of Association of FPCCI.”

The court also given the schedule of the elections according to which the returning officer shall accept nominations for all the posts of vice presidents and president of FPCCI up to 12:00 noon on January 30. Thereafter, the scrutiny shall be held up to 6 pm on the same day. The elections shall be held in between 10 am and 4 pm on January 31. The result of the elections shall be announced immediately after the vote counting by the returning officers, the release added.

It said the court further order that the sub-committee/adhoc committee, which is in place, shall only look after day-to-day management of FPCCI up to the new office bearers are in place.

APP adds: The elections were scheduled for December 23 and December 27, respectively but were stayed when a presidential candidate Sardar Muhammad Ashraf, member of FPCCI challenged the elections alleging that the entire election process was being conducted in a non-transparent manner.

The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the federal authorities overseeing the election process of FPCCI to “discharge their statutory duties,” to summon record of elections held at Lahore polling station, issue directions to concerned respondents to cancel appointments made for arbitration tribunals, restrain respondents from holding elections for the seat of president and vice president until decision of election complaints by properly constituted arbitration tribunals.

The bench after hearing the respective sides at length today ordered that to end the controversy once for all, the election shall be held on Monday under the supervision of deputy attorney general.

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