ECP accepts Imran Khan's apology in ballot secrecy violation case

ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan accepted the apology of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan for violating the rules regarding secrecy of vote casting.

A written unconditional apology and an affidavit were submitted by the incoming prime minister during the hearing held by a four-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Muhammad Raza.

The commission members took back the notice with a 3-1 majority. Chief Election Commissioner, Sardar Raza Khan remarked that the violations regarding the sanctity of vote should be on the record.

After the ECP decision, the victory notification of Imran Khan for NA-53 would be issued soon.

On Thursday, Babar Awan, the counsel for Imran Khan, contended that there were scores of people when Imran Khan arrived at the polling booth, following which the screens intended to keep the procedure secret were dispersed and so his client cast his vote publicly.

Pleading the electoral body to accept the apology, Awan asked for the issuance of the victory notification of Imran Khan from NA-53.

On the other hand, ECP asked Awan to submit a new affidavit and reply on Friday citing that the reply submitted by the cricketer-turned-politician did not bear his signature.

On July 25, Khan was seen publicly stamping the ballot paper on the table with TV cameras filming him, instead of going behind the voting screen to cast his vote in secrecy. At that time, neither the presiding officer nor other polling staff objected to the violation.

انصاف اور قانون کے دعویدار چئیرمین تحریک انصاف کی طرف سے کیمروں کی موجودگی میں انتخابی قوانین اور ضابطہ اخلاق کی کھلی خلاف ورزی ، بیلٹ پیپر پہ سب کے سامنے مہر لگائی۔ الیکشن کمیشن کے با اختیار ہونے کا واضح ٹسٹ pic.twitter.com/Eh7jEVasLZ

— Arshad Waheed Ch (@arshad_Geo) July 25, 2018

Later, the election watchdog stated that Imran Khan cast his vote for the 11th general Elections while showing it publicly, which was contradictory to the Code of Conduct.

According to Section 185 of the Election Act, a person can be given a six-month jail sentence and/or fine of Rs1,000 for not casting their vote in secrecy.

PTI leader Naeemul Haque has placed the blame for Imran’s controversial vote casting on the polling staff present at the occasion.

Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Haque argued that there was no place to cast vote in private as the polling booth had become crowded far beyond its capacity, for which the polling staff is to be blamed.