Pakistan Election Commission summons top leadership of Imran Khan's party in intra-party polls case

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 25 : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) top leadership after raising further objections to recently-held intra-party polls, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

The ECP has issued a notice to the Imran Khan-founded party and summoned PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Raoof Hasan, who was the election commissioner in the intra-party polls held on May 30.

In the notice, the Pakistan electoral watchdog seeks PTI's response to the commission's inquiry into the internal electoral process of the party. The ECP has already sent a questionnaire to PTI and sought information regarding PTI's intra-party polls.

Earlier in May, the ECP raised objections to intra-party elections held by PTI, questioning the party's status after 'losing organizational structure'.

On December 22, the ECP revoked the PTI electoral symbol 'bat' due to irregularities in its intra-party polls. Later, the Supreme Court upheld the order of the electoral watchdog, forcing PTI to field its candidates as independents in the elections held on February 8.

Following the general elections, the PTI once again held its intra-party polls on March 3. The party has now called on ECP to issue its notification. However, the electoral watchdog has once again raised objections to the recently held intra-party polls and sent a two-page questionnaire to PTI, according to ARY News report.

The ECP raised questions over the current "status" of the PTI as a political party and noted that the Imran Khan-founded party did not conduct intra-party polls within five years, in accordance with Section 208(1). The electoral watchdog stated, "Hence, it lost its organisational structure on lapsing of five years."

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, according to ARY News report.

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 Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 100,000."

The electoral watchdog also questioned the legality of PTI's chief organizer and federal election commissioner appointed by its General Body, while the PTI's constitution defines appointments on the former position through its National Council on recommendations of the Chief Executive Committee (CEC).

According to the ECP, a political party would be registered as per the old law under the Election Act if it submits certificates within a week after intra-party polls, in addition to complete records of elected office-bearers, poll data and results, according to ARY News report.

Furthermore, the party is also required to submit relevant documents in 60 days under the Election Act. The ECP questioned the PTI on why it should not begin its delisting process for not submitting documents in accordance with the prescribed law. The ECP asked the PTI leadership to submit its response to the observations to proceed further as per the law.

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