Imran Khan summoned before ECP today over controversial vote casting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan is summoned to appear before the Election Commission of Pakistan today for casting his vote in violation of the code of conduct during the general election 2018.

The ECP issued a notice to the PTI chief for violating the secrecy of ballot after he, surrounded by his friends and supporters, openly cast his vote in the NA-53 constituency on July 25. Instead of going behind the voting screen to cast his vote in secrecy, Imran was seen publicly stamping the ballot paper on the table with TV cameras filming him.

PTI chief Imran Khan gives a thumb impression as casts his vote at a polling station during the general election in Islamabad on July 25, 2018. Photo:AFP
Neither the presiding officer nor other polling staff objected to the violation.

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.

‘Polling staff to be blamed’
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.

Earlier, PTI leader Faisal Javed also defended the party chairman saying that Imran was not at fault for the mistake during casting his vote. He said that media personnel were present inside the booth and it was the job of the polling station’s staff to stop them.

ECP sends notice to Imran Khan over controversial vote casting

The Imran Khan-led PTI witnessed a resounding triumph in the country’s general election, whereas rival parties planned protests over alleged vote rigging.

The PTI won 116 National Assembly seats in the ballot, short of the 137 needed for a simple majority but a surprisingly strong showing that helped fuel suspicion of rigging.