ECP summons PTI chief for violating vote secrecy

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday issued a notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for casting his vote in violation of the code of conduct in the general election.

As per notice, the Election Commission has summoned Imran on July 30 in relation to the matter: he has the option of sending his counsel for representation before the Election Commission, failing which the matter can be decided in his absence.

The subject of the notice is breach of secrecy of ballot during general election July 25, 2018 at Government Boys School Dhoke Jirani, NA-53. Provisions of sections 93, 94 and 103 of the Elections Act, 2017 say that the elections shall be ‘by secret ballot’.

The Election Commission, earlier referred the matter of Imran’s controversial vote casting to the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Sardar Muhammad Raza, who had consultations with the Election Commission members.

It was learnt that the video of Imran casting his vote in front of the media was also sent to the ECP high-ups. PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed, while defending the party chairman, said that Imran was not at fault for the mistake during casting his vote.

He stated that media personnel were present there and it was the job of the polling staff to stop them. Still images and video clips were available on media, immediately after the incident, showing Imran stamping the ballot paper in full public view at the presaiding officer’s table instead of secretly doing it inside the polling booth.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission also took notice of the live media talk by Imran, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N candidate Khawaja Asif and said that the act was in violation of the code of conduct. The Election Commission asked the media not to telecast live media talk of any political party or candidate.