ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has fixed the case related to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) inter-party election for hearing on February 11.
The Election Commission also issued notices to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Rauf Hassan, petitioner Akbar S. Babar and others.
in the previous hearing held on January 21, the PTI had sought time to submit its response.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had held intra-party elections on June 9, 2022, which was challenged in the Election Commission and heard for about a year and a half. Later, in November 2023, the PTI’s intra-party elections were declared null and void.
In an order issued on November 23, 2023, the Election Commission gave the former ruling party 20 days to hold fresh intra-party elections so as not to lose its election symbol, the bat.
The Election Commission’s order came at a time when the general elections were about 2 months away and political parties were campaigning across the country in full swing.
Desperate to retain its iconic election symbol, the PTI took less than 10 days and held intra-party elections on December 2, 2023.
On December 22, the Election Commission had declared PTI’s intra-party elections null and void for the second time in less than a month, following which the first microscopic examination of the nature of the inner workings of a political party was conducted and it was declared ineligible to get an election symbol to contest the upcoming elections.
The Election Commission took the stand that the PTI Secretary General could not appoint the Federal Election Commissioner to conduct intra-party elections.
The Commission’s decision meant that PTI candidates had to contest the general elections as independents and the party had to hold its intra-party elections for the third time on March 3 this year.
Also Read: ECP raises seven objections to PTI’s intra-party elections, bat symbol restoration
However, the Election Commission once again raised objections to the election exercise and fixed the matter for hearing without giving details of the objections.
On PTI’s objections, the commission finally shared a questionnaire with them in which information was sought about the party’s intra-party elections and questions were raised about the party’s organizational structure and status after losing its election symbol.
PTI had submitted detailed answers to 7 questions asked by the Election Commission, in which the election body was urged to formally recognize the latest intra-party elections.
The party’s Federal Chief Election Commissioner Rauf Hassan, in his response, had said that PTI is an existing and active political party registered with the Election Commission under Section 202 of the Election Act 2017.
In response, he said to address the concerns of the Election Commission that there is no provision in the Election Act, 2017, or the Election Rules, 2017 that a registered party will lose its ‘organizational structure’ after the expiry of a five-year term.
The response stated that the PTI held its intra-party elections on June 9, 2022, but the Election Commission directed on November 23, 2023 that the intra-party elections should be held under the ‘existing constitution’ (2019 constitution) of the PTI.
To hold these elections, a meeting of the PTI General Body consisting of all the members of PTI in Pakistan was convened on January 31. The required approval was taken from the General Body, under which the FEC was also appointed to hold intra-party elections as soon as possible. After this, the PTI informed the ECP on February 21 about all the steps taken to hold intra-party elections in light of the approvals of the General Body.
He said that the Election Commission had on March 2 endorsed these steps and directed the party to proceed with and hold intra-party elections as per the PTI constitution. Accordingly, the intra-party elections were held on March 3 and the documents were submitted to the commission. Therefore, PTI is a registered political party till date and thus continues to exercise its rights under the relevant provisions of the law including Article 17 of the Constitution, the Elections Act, 2017, and the Election Rules, 2017.
Due to the Election Commission’s decision, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates had to contest the general elections as independents and the party had to hold its intra-party elections for the third time on March 3 this year.