' Through this petition, the petitioners have assailed the legality and validity of order dated 11.09.2015 whereby nomination papers of Respondents No. 3 & 4 to contest election against the seat of Chairman and Vice Chairman of Union Council No. 86 Tehsil Chishtian, District Council Bahawalnagar were accepted and order dated 29.09.2015 whereby appeal filed by the petitioners against the order dated 11.09.2015 was dismissed.
2. Brief facts of the case are that the petitioners and Respondents No. 3 & 4 submitted their nomination papers to contest election on the seat of Chairman and Vice Chairman of Union Council No. 86 Tehsil Chishtian District Council Bahawalnagar. The nomination papers of the said respondents were accepted. The petitioners filed an appeal against said acceptance of nomination papers of said respondents with the contention that concerned Returning Officer did not perform his duties in accordance with law and received nomination papers of respondents ante dated which is proved from the receipt of treasury branch according to which requisite fee was deposited in the bank on 18.09.2015, after the lasf date of receiving nomination papers. It is maintained that Respondent No. 3 being Chairman of Water Supply Scheme is defaulter of MEPCO, therefore, he was not qualified to contest election and his nomination papers was wrongly accepted.
3. Conversely, learned Law Officer assisted by learned counsel for respondents vehemently opposed this contention of learned counsel for the petitioners and supported the impugned orders.
4. Arguments heard and record perused.
5. Perusal of the record suggests that Respondents No. 3 & 4 filed nomination papers as joint candidature against the seat of Chairman and Vice Chairman of Union Council No, 86 Tehsil Chishtian on 11.09.2015 along with requisite fee in cash with the Returning Officer. Learned Law Officer and learned counsel for private respondents relying on the report and parawise comments submitted by Returning Officer of Union Council Nos. 83 to 90 submit that Respondents No. 3 & 4 submitted their nomination papers within the stipulated time i.e. On 11.09.2015 along with nine other candidates for general members. The requisite fee was deposited in cash by all the members on the same day, receipts were also issued to them and total fee of Rs. 23,000/- was deposited by the Returning Officer in National Bank of Pakistan Chishtian Branch on 18.09.2015 through challan No.39.
6. This fact establishes that the requisite fee was deposited within time and receipts were also issued to the candidates, so, the delay in depositing fee in government treasury by Respondent No. 2 cannot be attributed to Respondents No. 3 & 4. It was the matter between Returning Officer and Election Commission of Pakistan and according to record Respondents No. 3 & 4 submitted their nomination papers within the prescribed time along with requisite fee. As per record the petitioners also failed to place on record any evidence regarding other allegations levelled against Respondents No. 3 & 4.
6. In view of the above, I do not find any illegally, irregularity in the orders passed by the respondents. Resultantly, this petition being. Meritless is dismissed.