ECP seeks reply from Imran Khan over violating secrecy of ballot

ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered the expectedly incoming prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to submit a written reply over not maintaining secrecy while casting his vote during the general election 2018.

The electoral commission had summoned Khan to appear before it in person or through counsel today (July 30) to explain his position over openly casting his vote in NA-53, Islamabad.

PTI chief's counsel Babar Awan appeared before the ECP earlier today where the ECP ordered him to submit a written reply and adjourned the hearing till August 16.

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.

https://twitter.com/arshad_Geo/status/1022022925589852161

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 CoC.



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 are to be blamed.