The Islamabad High Court on Friday set aside the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order which barred Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Umar Amin Gandapur from contesting polls for the seat of Dera Ismail Khan city mayor in the second phase of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local government polls.

"For reasons to be recorded later, the petition is partially allowed to the extent of the disqualification of Umar Amin Khan Gandapur from contesting the elections to the office of Mayor, Dera Ismail Khan. The disqualification is, therefore, set aside," read a short reserved order issued by the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah following the hearing of the case on Friday.

In its order, the IHC dismissed a paragraph of the petition in which the ECP's decision related to Ali Amin Gandapur, Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and brother of Umar, was stated.

Umar Ali Gandapur had been barred from taking part in the local body polls for violating the code of conduct.

On February 3, the ECP had directed the KP chief secretary and inspector general of police to ‘forcibly’ expel Ali Amin Gandapur from DI Khan for repeated violations of the code of conduct.

As per ECP's code of conduct for the LG elections, public officeholders, including prime minister and the country’s president, are barred from visiting any constituency during polls and from unveiling any development scheme and from canvassing votes for any candidate or political party.

After the ECP's order of disqualification, the PTI contestant challenged the electoral commission's order in the high court.