Aamir Khalid Etc. vs District Returning Officer Etc.
This petition for leave to appeal arose from the rejection of the petitioner's candidature in an election due to age ineligibility. The core legal question was whether the petitioner's date of birth as recorded in his matriculation certificate should prevail over his assertion of an earlier birth date to satisfy the minimum age requirement of 25 years. The Supreme Court of Pakistan held that the date of birth recorded in a matriculation certificate is generally considered valid and authentic, as it is based on the admission form signed by the student. Consequently, the Court found the petitioner ineligible to contest the election because he had not attained the age of 25 years based on his matriculation record. The petition for leave to appeal was dismissed.
- Whether the date of birth recorded in a matriculation certificate is considered legally valid and authentic for determining election eligibility?
- Can a candidate's assertion of a different birth date override the date of birth specified in their matriculation certificate for the purpose of age qualification in elections?
ORDER
1. Learned counsel admitted that as per matriculation certificate petitioner's date of birth is 10.111982 but his case is that his correct date of birth is 10.1.1980 therefore, he was eligible to contest the election, lt may be pointed out that date of birth mentioned in the matriculation certificate is considered generally valid and authentic as same is recorded on the basis of admission form, filed by student under his own signature. Therefore, we are of the opinion that the petitioner was not eligible to contest election as he had hot reached to the age of 25 years.
2. For above reasons petition is dismissed and leave declined.