LAHORE: Lahore High Court Bar Association Election Board Chairman Javed Iqbal Raja has ordered verification of ballot papers and votes polled in the annual election held last week.

The chairman passed the order on an application filed by Chaudhry Muhammad Ramzan, the runner-up for president`s lot.

Ramzan fielded by Asma Jahangir-led Independent group lost election to Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali of Professional group headed by Hamid Khan.

Mr Ramzan had challenged the election result and demanded a recount and verification of the votes cast through manual and biometric patterns.

Mr Raja denied the charges of irregularities in the election, however, he accepted the application of the runner-up. He summoned all candidates for the presidential slot on March 11 to hold recount of votes cast through print ballot papers.

The chairman also directed the bar`s office to engage Nadra for the verification of votes cast electronically and said the applicant would bear the expenses of the reexamination process. The biometric system acquired by the LHCBA would be examined by IT experts of Nadra, Mr Raja said.