Feb 8 polls: PTI petitions SJC to hold inquiry against CEC over 'misconduct'

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formally petitioned the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to launch a thorough inquiry against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members over the allegation of rigging during the February 8 nationwide polls.

The former ruling party on Tuesday submitted a complaint to the SJC against the CEC and the ECP members over the "misconduct", as well as prayed to hold a thorough inquiry as the electoral body's top officers had "failed to perform their duties".

The complaint, a 29-page document obtained by Geo News, was submitted by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan via his counsel Barrister Ali Zafar.

CEC Raja, ECP members including Babar Hassan Bharwana from Punjab, Nisar Ahmed Durrani from Sindh, Shah Muhammad Jatoi from Balochistan, and Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) were made respondents in the complaint.

It demanded the SJC to report to the president for the immediate removal of the CEC and the ECP members if they are found guilty of misconduct and incapable of performing their duties.

In its complaint, the opposition party alleged that the election watchdog failed to perform its constitutional duty of conducting elections honestly, justly, fairly, and in accordance with the law.

The ECP "deliberately violated this constitutional obligation, responsibility and duty under Article 224 and failed to hold elections to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) within 90 of holding elections".

The party also alleged that the commission also breached the law by "openly defying the judgements dated 01.03.2023 and 04.04.2023 of the Supreme Court directing ECP to hold elections within 90 days".

During the 2024 polls, polling agents belonging to the PTI were not allowed to sit in the polling stations in several constituencies and others, its polling camps were even removed, it read.

The electoral body had also failed to release poll results in accordance with the law and turned a blind eye to the pre-poll rigging, the PTI alleged.

The embattled party alleged that its members had been forced to change their loyalties via press conferences which "amounted to a blatant action of pre-poll rigging" but the ECP again shut its eyes to it.

Additionally, the complaint stated that the PTI was not permitted to run its election campaign.

During the Feb 8 polls, nomination papers were "snatched from the PTI candidates" and workers were "abducted", it read, adding that the ECP did not take any action after a ban was imposed on the media coverage of the party.

It said after the nationwide elections, media and polling agents were not provided Form 45.

The former ruling party further alleged that the returning officers (ROs) conducting the general elections were deployed on "political grounds".

The document read that the electoral body had not only ousted the PTI from the general elections but it also deprived the Imran Khan-founded party of reserved seats for women and minorities.

It complained that the commission became a party in the courts which caused damage to the former ruling party in the Feb 8 polls after it lost its iconic 'bat' symbol to contest the elections.

The complainants requested the immediate removal of the top officers of the ECP — CEC and members — due to "serious allegations of misconduct, including pre-poll, poll day and post-poll riggings". The PTI sought accountability for the unconstitutional actions of the ECP.