Tag: ECP

  • ECP, PTI approach Supreme Court on reserved seats verdict

    ECP, PTI approach Supreme Court on reserved seats verdict

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has moved the Supreme Court to review its decision in the reserved seats case involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni-Ittehad-Council.
    The petition stated that’ ‘’Primary relief has been granted to the PTI.’’

    With his counsel Salman Akram Raja, PTI chairman barrister Gohar Ali Khan approached the apex court to restrain ECP from allocating reserved seats to other parties.

    “Such reserved seats belong to PTI and its candidates whose names are present in the list presented before ECP in accordance with the judgement of the Supreme Court dated 12-7-2024. Candidates may be declared elected to the reserved seats for women and non-Muslims,” the petition read.

    On July 12, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the former ruling party was eligible for the reserved seats. After implementing the decision, PTI will become the largest parliamentary party.

  • ECP issues notice to 12 parties for not allocating five percent tickets to women

    ECP issues notice to 12 parties for not allocating five percent tickets to women

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued notices to 12 political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami National Party, for failing to allocate five per cent of general seat tickets to women in the general elections.

    A hearing regarding the implementation of Section 206 of the Election Act has been scheduled for July 25 by the Election Commission.

    The Election Commission has specifically issued notices to Akhtar Mengal of Balochistan National Party, Saad Rizvi of Tehreek-e-Labeek, and Asfandyar Wali of ANP.

    Additionally, notices were served to Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman of Jamaat-e-Islami and Khurram Nawaz Gandapur of Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

    The Election Commission is set to hear the case on July 25.

  • Omar Ayub calls for initiating treason case against CEC Sikandar Raja

    Omar Ayub calls for initiating treason case against CEC Sikandar Raja

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan has called for the invocation of Article 6 (Guilty of high treason) against the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) because they misinterpreted the Constitution, leading to the removal of the party’s electoral symbol—the bat.

    His remarks came after the recent Supreme Court verdict granting PTI reserved seats for women and minorities—a right previously revoked by the ECP.

    “I congratulate the entire Pakistan on this auspicious day and the entire legal team,” Ayub said, hailing the Supreme Court’s ruling in a press conference.

    He also stated that the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Sikandar Sultan Raja, and four other members of the ECP should resign from their offices immediately.

  • SC full court to hear petition on reserved seats today

    SC full court to hear petition on reserved seats today

    A full court bench of the Supreme Court (SC) will hear the petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) today challenging the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision that denied it reserved seats for women and minorities. 

    As per the report of senior court reporter Hasnaat Malik, the apex court will also decide about the live streaming of today’s hearing in the reserved seats case.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa will lead the 13-member full court bench; however, Justice Musarrat Hilali will not be the part of  bench after falling ill.

    On May 6, the apex court suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to allocate SIC’s reserved seats to other parties.

  • ECP once again raises concerns over PTI’s intra-party polls

    ECP once again raises concerns over PTI’s intra-party polls

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has raised concerns over the recent intra-party polls of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The electoral body asked PTI to submit a response in written form.

    The PTI’s political future is at risk as the ECP raised concerns that the party is holding central meetings without intra-party polls.

    The ECP asked how various PTI party organisations are working if the intra-party polls have not been held for five years. It was the opinion of the commission that PTI has no structure and no electoral symbol.

    It also objected to the PTI’s new intra-party elections. After the initial hearing on April 30, they told the PTI to submit its response

  • PTI BOYCOTTS Senate chairman, deputy chairman elections

    PTI BOYCOTTS Senate chairman, deputy chairman elections

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has boycotted an important election for top positions in the Senate. The party had previously requested the postponement of Senate chairman and deputy chairman polls until the senate elections are conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). 

    The former ruling party’s core committee made the decision and also called for postponing the upcoming elections for the top positions in the Senate. The party stated in its announcement that these elections would be unconstitutional if they didn’t represent all units of the federation.

    The former ruling party also asked the Senate secretary to delay the mentioned polls. In their request, Senator Saifullah Niazi stated that their request should be heeded since they were actually 96 Senate members.

    Currently, the upper house is short of 11 members as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the KP Senate elections last week because of non-administration of oath to MPAs-elected on reserved seats.

  • PTI requests postponement of Senate chairman, deputy chairman polls

    PTI requests postponement of Senate chairman, deputy chairman polls

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked on Monday for the postponement of the election for Senate chairman and deputy Senate chairman until polls for the upper house are conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    Senator Saifullah Niazi from PTI submitted an application to the Senate secretary, stating that the true count of Senate members is 96.

    Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the KP Senate elections because the MPAs elected to reserved seats hadn’t taken their oath. As a result, the upper house is now lacking 11 members.

  • PTI decides to march against alleged poll rigging

    PTI decides to march against alleged poll rigging

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced to stage a protest against the alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections. The incarcerated founder of the party Imran Khan believes that the mandate was stolen from people and post-poll rigging was rampant.

    According to them, election results were changed in the Form 47s compared to Form 45s to benefit the current ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
    PTI member and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) also said “The incumbent government at the Centre has been formed after stealing PTI’s 180 seats.”

    Previously, the party had sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad to lawfully stage a protest in the capital city but received no reply. After this, they reached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to be allowed to hold a rally. It is believed that they wanted to stage the protest on Pakistan Day but later decided against it and set the date to March 30.

    Imran Khan’s party is also set to hold a press briefing on the impacts of upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) package on the general public on March 25.

  • ECP issues schedule for senate polls set to take place on April 2

    ECP issues schedule for senate polls set to take place on April 2

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued a schedule of upcoming senate elections set to take place on April 2.

    As per schedule, the returning officers will issue a public notice for all prospective candidates to submit their nomination papers. The electoral body will then scrutinise nomination papers and handle appeals. 

    The development comes as the ECP, on Monday, announced holding the election for Senate seats that were vacated after the expiration of the six-year term of the incumbent senators on March 11. However, elections will only be held on 48 seats as four reserved seats for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have been abolished after the 25th Constitutional Amendment.

    Members of the Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan assemblies will vote to elect members for seven general seats, two women, and two seats for technocrats, including Ulema.

    However, Punjab and Sindh assembly members will cast their votes for one seat each for non-Muslims.

    As per the ECP’s schedule,

    March 15 to 16 — Submission of nomination papers.

    March 17 — Publication of nominated candidates.

    March 19 — Last date for scrutiny of nomination papers.

    March 21 — Last date for filing of appeals against acceptance, rejection of nominations.

    March 25 — Last date for disposal of appeals by the tribunal.

    March 26 — Publication of revised list of candidates.

    March 27 — Date for withdrawal of candidature.

    April 2 — Polling day.

  • ECP issues notice to Gandapur over disqualification petition in property case

    ECP issues notice to Gandapur over disqualification petition in property case

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sent a notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after a petition was filed against him for misleading the commission about a piece of land, The News reported on Wednesday.

    Two members of the ECP bench, including Sindh Member Nisar Ahmad Durrani and Balochistan Member Shah Muhammad Jatoi, heard the plea and adjourned the hearing of the case till March 26.

    In a short order, the electoral authority decided to send a notification to newly-elected KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who won his provincial seat from Dera Ismail Khan.

    In his plea, Muhammad Kafeel — the petitioner — claimed that 735-kanals of land, situated in Mouzah Girah Muhabbat and Muzah Rohri, Kulachi, district DI Khan, was transferred in the name of Gandapur temporarily while Asif Khan was the real owner.   

    Muhammad Kafeel highlighted that Gandapur is not the actual owner of property and he was supposed to return the property back to actual owner on his demand.

    The petitioner said in liabilities forms furnished for the year 2020 and duly published, Gandapur had allegedly shown purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser, YB-777 from the funds which he received from the sale of 735 kanal land. He also contended that on account of such wrong declaration, Gandapur was not qualified to hold the office of member provincial assembly.

    With the signatures of ECP Sindh member, the order said, “We have heard preliminary arguments which need consideration on merits. Office to issue notice to respondent No. 5 (Ali Amin Gandapur) for the date fixed through District Election Commissioner concerned. The service report of DEC shall reach to this office before the date fixed. Case to come up on 26.03.2024.”