ECP hears pleas for removing Imran as PTI chief today

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will resume hearing today (Tuesday) regarding three cases on removal of Imran Khan from the chairmanship of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which were previously fixed for January 25.

According to the cause list, issued, these cases will be heard by the commission’s three- member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and ECP members, namely Nisar Ahmad Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi on January 31 on the order of the ECP. 

These cases are titled: “Removal from chairmanship of PTI, notice to the party’s chief election commissioner Jamal Akbar Ansari”; “Application for removal of Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi from chairmanship of PTI, notice to Muhammad Afaq, AHC”; and Application against issuance of notification in favour of Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi as a returned candidate in the by-elections, 2022, and removing the name from chairmanship of a political party (PTI).

Likewise, ECP’s same bench will also take up the application filed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for the announcement of its order in relation to Pakistan Muslim League. The application has been filed under Section 4 read with Section 208 of the Elections Act, 2017, read with the Elections Rule 157.

Section 208 of the Act says, “(1)the office-bearers of a political party at the federal, provincial and local levels, wherever applicable, shall be elected periodically in accordance with the constitution of the political party: Provided that a period, not exceeding five years, shall intervene between any two elections.

(2) A member of a political party shall, subject to the provisions of the constitution of the political party, be provided with an equal opportunity of contesting election for any political party office.

(3) All members of the political party at the federal, provincial and local levels shall constitute the electoral-college for election of the party general council at the respective levels.

(4) The political party shall publish the updated list of its central office-bearers and Executive Committee members, by whatever name called, on its website and send the list, and any subsequent change in it, to the Commission”.

Similarly, the Rule 157 is regarding the scrutiny of political parties’ constitution and information, etc.—‘Where the Commission is of the opinion that the constitution, other documents and information submitted by a political party is not in conformity with the Act, it shall return the same with specific observations to the concerned political party for resubmission in accordance with the provisions of the Act’.