ISLAMABAD: The electoral body has issued notice to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JU-F) Chief Moulana Fazl-ur-Rahman over non-conduct of JUI-F intra-party elections, and has fixed the related case for hearing on Thursday (today).

A four-member ECP bench would hold the preliminary hearing of this case on Thursday morning, according to the cause list issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The bench comprises of Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and former Justice Ikram Ullah Khan.

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 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, an 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, notified by the ECP recently.

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 for 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.

Last December, the ECP, for the third time, decided against the PTI in the intra-party elections case, following which, the PTI was deprived of its iconic election symbol of bat. The PTI candidates had to contest the February 8 general elections as independents due to denial of election symbol to them by the poll body.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024