Forensic audit to decide fate of controversial LHCBA polls

The controversy surrounding the annual elections of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) appears to have been defused after rival factions agreed to conduct a forensic audit of the biometric system used during polling.

The breakthrough came following negotiations between the Independent Group, led by Ahsan Bhoon, and the Professional Group headed by Hamid Khan.

Under the agreement, the biometric machines used in the February 28 elections will undergo a forensic examination within one week. If any evidence of rigging or technical manipulation is established, fresh elections will be conducted.

However, if no irregularities are found, the results already announced will be accepted by both sides.

A joint committee comprising representatives from both groups has been constituted to determine the procedure and select an independent forensic institution.

The committee includes Ahsan Bhoon, Pir Masood Chishti, Ramzan Chaudhry and Tahir Nasrullah Warraich from the Independent Group, while Ishtiaq A Khan, Maqsood Buttar, Shafqat Mehmood Chohan and Asad Manzoor Butt represent the Professional Group.

Newly elected Secretary Qasim Ijaz Samra will assist the committee. The body is scheduled to meet again on March 3 to review progress on the forensic process.

The elections had turned controversial after results were announced amid chaos and disorder at the bar premises.

Polling was halted at 4pm due to the tense situation, with several candidates and lawyers alleging that the voting process had not been completed in a fair and transparent manner.

According to the Election Board, Babar Murtaza Khan, the presidential candidate backed by the Professional Group, was declared successful with 6,234 votes, defeating Raja Aamir Khan, who secured 3,781 votes.

However, the Independent Group rejected the results, terming the process incomplete and non-transparent. Confusion deepened as both factions claimed victory for their respective candidates.

Following the announcement, lawyers belonging to the Professional Group celebrated by lifting Babar Murtaza Khan on their shoulders, while members of the rival group staged protests and chanted slogans. The charged atmosphere escalated during a subsequent General House meeting at Kiani Hall, where lawyers from both sides exchanged heated slogans that led to physical scuffles. A female lawyer was reportedly assaulted during the confrontation after allegedly using inappropriate remarks against a senior lawyer leader.

Despite the controversy, Babar Murtaza Khan assumed charge as LHCBA president. Former presidents Ishtiaq A Khan, Asad Manzoor Butt and Asif Naswana, along with Punjab Bar Council member Sohail Murshed, welcomed him with floral garlands. Speaking on the occasion, Ishtiaq A Khan described the development as a “victory of the Constitution.”

On the other hand, the Independent Group convened an emergency meeting at the Pakistan Bar Council under the chairmanship of Ahsan Bhoon, reiterating that they would not allow the election to be “stolen” and would not accept the results until completion of the forensic audit.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the Punjab Bar Council suspended the election results on an application filed by Raja Aamir Khan and summoned all parties for a hearing on Monday. The committee has also sought the complete election record from the Election Board.

The results for the seats of vice president, secretary and finance secretary are yet to be announced, leaving other candidates in uncertainty.

Legal circles say that for the first time in the association’s history, its election results have come under such serious dispute, raising the possibility of formal legal proceedings if the forensic audit fails to settle the matter conclusively.