ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) has sought time from the electoral entity for completing its intra-party elections - as the political party’s organisational structure, according to the poll body, has become dysfunctional following the expiry of the respective terms of its office-bearers this July 7.
In the proceedings of JUI-F intra-party elections case, the defence lawyer informed a four-member ECP bench on Thursday that the phase-wise party polls were already under way in the provinces, to be held at the centre, thereafter.
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and former Justice Ikram Ullah Khan heard the case.
The ECP officials told the bench that the respective terms of JUI-F office-bearers ended this July 7, following which, the political party’s organisational structure became dysfunctional.
The defence counsel said the JUI-F’s intra-party polls process would complete in the coming days, and sought time in this regard, for the party polls to complete.
The bench adjourned the case till September 18.
Intra-party elections of the political parties are generally regarded as being of symbolic significance, and the ECP mostly accepts the related certificates submitted to it by the political parties regarding completion of the intra-party polls. Holding intra-party elections is a mandatory requirement for every political party under the relevant election laws.
Section 208(1) of the Elections Act 2017 provides that 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.
Last week, the ECP notified Aimal Wali Khan as Awami National Party (ANP) President after the ANP announced to move court over not listing him as the party chief in the poll body’s record.
To this effect, ECP notification on ANP intra-party polls declared all the 38 party office-bearers as having elected unopposed.
Before that, Nawaz Sharif was elected unopposed as Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz President (PML-N) this May 28. He was listed as party President in the ECP record last week.
While the commission accepted the ANP intra-party polls in over three months, and that of Sharif’s elevation as N-League chief in less than three months, the PTI intra-party polls case sees a prolonged delay of over two years, under highly questionable circumstances, amidst serious allegations of foul play involving ECP. The electoral entity has rejected the legality of these elections thrice since June 2022.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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