ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is scheduled to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections case on Tuesday (today), three weeks after the PTI demanded immediate appointments of new chief election commissioner and two ECP members following the completion of their five-year terms this January.
A three-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja is hearing the PTI intra-party elections case.
The defence side is required to present arguments and submit the related documents in today’s hearing.
During the last hearing of the PTI intra-party polls case, Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan urged the bench to be given time to present arguments in the case.
The PTI has submitted its written response to the bench in this case - but needs time to present arguments - Khan maintained.
The bench accepted the party chief’s request, and adjourned the case till 4th March (today), directing the defence side to present arguments on the given date
Speaking to the media after 11 February case hearing, the chairman PTI demanded that the appointments of new CEC and two ECP members be made forthwith, without any further delay.
He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was yet to forward his nominations for three ECP slots, and demanded of the PM to give his nominations for appointments on three ECP slots without any more delay.
The five-year terms of the CEC, and two ECP members; Nisar Ahmed Durrani (Sindh) and Shah Muhammad Jatoi (Balochistan), ended this 26 January.
But, following an amendment in Article 215(1) in the controversial 26th Amendment last October, the three ECP officials are able to continue on their official positions till their replacements are in place.
The PTI leadership including the party chief, and Omar Ayub Khan, the Opposition Leader in National Assembly, had repeatedly demanded the appointments of new CEC and two ECP members.
The NA opposition leader also wrote a letter to Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a parliamentary committee on the appointment of new CEC.
In accordance with Article 213(2A) and (2B), and Article 218(2)(b) of the Constitution, the PM, in consultation with NA opposition leader, forwards three names for appointment of CEC to a parliamentary committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person.
The ECP, under its present management, has faced massive public criticism over electoral body’s alleged failure in tackling crucial electoral matters, especially those concerning PTI, including the intra-party elections case.
The issue of intra-party polls has been lingering since June 2022 with ECP having rejected the legality of these elections thrice allegedly out of politically motivated reasons.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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