Candidate announces to withdraw his nomination papers in AJK's bye-election.

MIRPUR -- After a candidate affiliated with the AJK's ruling PML-N Tuesday announced his nomination papers withdrawal from contesting the scheduled November 24 bye-election to the vacant seat of the AJK Legislative Assembly, the number of candidates in the run, has reduced to 24 from 25.

The independent candidate Iftikhar Khadim, an alleged dissident to the PML-N, announced to withdraw his nomination papers after he was denied the party's [PML-N] candidature for contesting the scheduled polls being the PML-N's nominee.

Scrutiny of the nomination papers has started from today and October 26 is the last date for appeals against rejection or acceptance of the nomination papers.

Khadim, backed by the party's alleged dissident - an ex AJK health minister Arshad Mahmood Ghazi, had announced to contest the election under the candidature of the PML-N.

Iftikhar Khadim requested the returning officer, through an application, to accept his withdrawal from contesting the election coupled with request to return his fee of nomination - which he had deposited while filing the nomination papers.

After withdrawal of the nomination papers by Khadim, the number of the candidates in the polls arena has reduced to 24.

A total of 25 candidates had filed their nomination papers with the returning officer by the stipulated last date of October 21 here for the scheduled November 24 bye-election to the only vacant seat of the AJK Legislative Assembly from Mirpur

City - III (LA-3) constituency.

The seat had fallen vacant following disqualification of the sitting MLA and minister from the constituency and minister in the incumbent Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider-led AJK government of PML-N, Ch. Muhammad Saeed by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in a contempt of court case on September 25. The apex court had declared Saeed disqualified for contesting or holding any public office for next five years period.

AJK elections commission has, by now, announced the bye - election schedule to fill in the vacant seat to the AJK Legislative Assembly, to be held on November 24 this year.

All those 24 out of all of the 25 the candidates who have filed the nomination papers with the Returning Officer / the serving Additional Session judge Mirpur Muhammad Idrees Bhatti here by the last day Monday including prominent politicians including former Prime Minister and PTI AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, ex city Mayor and former Special Assistant to AJK...

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