ECP fixes PTI intra-party elections for hearing

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) fixed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party election case for hearing on September 18, ARY News reported.

The ECP issued notices to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Central Information Secretary Raoof Hassan for the hearing fixed for Wednesday.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan, will hear the PTI’s intra-party election case.

It may be recalled here that that would be the first hearing of the PTI intra-party elections after the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s clarification order in the reserved seats case.

Earlier on Saturday, the SC dismissed the ECP’s plea seeking its guidance on the verdict in the PTI reserved seats, ruling it as ‘dilatory tactics”.

Reacting to the order, the ECP maintained that the impression that Barrister Gohar Khan has been recognised as the chairman of PTI is incorrect. “PTI’s intra-party election issue is still being heard and no final decision has been made,” the sources added quoting the ECP.

The ECP maintained that it always tried to resolve the matter promptly, but the PTI repeatedly used ‘delaying tactics’.

In May, the ECP raised further objections to PTI intra-party elections, questioning the party’s status after ‘losing organisational structure’.

On December 22, 2023, the ECP stripped the PTI of its election symbol due to irregularities in its intra-party elections. The Supreme Court later upheld the ECP order, forcing the party to field its candidates as independents in the Feb 8 general elections.

After the general elections, the party once again conducted its intra-party elections on March 3. The party now demands that the ECP issue its notification.

However, the ECP has once again raised objections to the new party polls and sent a two-page questionnaire to the Imran-founded party.

The electoral watchdog questioned the current “status” of the PTI as a political party, noting that the party did not hold intra-party elections within five years, in accordance with Section 208(1). “Hence, it lost its organisational structure on lapsing of five years,” it stated.

The ECP also questioned why not to start the delisting process of the former ruling party’s registration and imposing a fine for not holding timely intra-party elections.

Section 208(5) reads, “Where a political party fails to conduct intra-party elections as per given time frame in their constitution, a show-cause notice shall be issued to such political party and if the party fails to comply, then the Commission shall impose fine which may extend to Rs200,000 but shall not be less than Rs100,000.”

It also questioned the legality of the party’s chief organiser and federal election commissioner appointed by its General Body, while the PTI’s constitution defines appointments on the former position via its National Council on recommendations of the Chief Executive Committee (CEC).