Intra-party elections case: PTI’s plea seeking more time to submit record allowed by ECP

ISLAMABAD: The electoral entity has accepted the PTI’s request to be given more time till next month, for submitting the required record related to the intra-party elections case.

Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Ali Khan appeared before a two-member ECP bench during the hearing of the intra-party elections case on Thursday.

Khan informed the bench that he could not get the relevant record related to this case due to his engagements at his hometown. He sought time till next month for the submission of the relevant record.

The PTI’s entire record related to this case was allegedly confiscated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) during a raid at the party’s Central Secretariat this July.

The ECP bench accepted Khan’s request and adjourned the case till 4 December, directing the defence side to submit the related record by the given date.

For the political parties registered with the ECP, holding intra-party polls is a mandatory requirement under the relevant election laws.

Generally, these elections have nothing more than symbolic value— and the ECP mostly accepts the related certificates submitted to it by the political parties regarding completion of the party polls.

But, in case of the PTI intra-party polls, the matter has remained lingering since June 2022 with ECP having rejected the legality of these elections thrice.

However, the electoral body, last month, claimed that it “always showed legal flexibility” in the case, accusing the PTI of causing delay in the case.

“Election Commission is trying its best to resolve the matter legally. Election Commission has always shown legal flexibility on the issue of PTI intra-party elections. But the party repeatedly resorted to seeking adjournments in the case, which is why the matter remains unresolved yet,” the ECP said in an unusual statement issued after the hearing of PTI intra-party elections case on October 2.

“The PTI has been given several opportunities to meet the related legal requirements. The party is totally responsible for the slow progress and delay in the case,” the statement said.

The PTI was required to hold its intra-party elections within the five-year stipulated time by 13 June 2021, but it did not hold these polls, the Commission said in the statement.

The ECP did not explain the context in which this statement was issued.

It, however, came at a time when the poll body was under strong public criticism for keeping the PTI intra-party polls case lingering— allegedly out of politically motivated reasons.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024