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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman and prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan to appear before it in the matter of breaching the secrecy of ballot.
On July 25 the PTI chief had stamped his ballot paper in public, breaking the ECP's rules regarding keeping one's vote secret.
The commission had taken notice of the matter on election day after videos of Imran stamping his ballot paper in public had gone viral.
The commission has ordered that Imran appear before it in person or submit his reply on the matter through his lawyer.
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On DawnNews
Comments (38) Closed
Aug 08, 2018 09:50pm
Why did he do it? If Imran is that impulsive, he must take care of it. We wishhim the best and will always be on his side but certain things are vital now than ever before. Now he has no time of going from on office to another becuase he did something silly for which he is answerable. He has to run the govt and we need his attention directed towards that.
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Aug 08, 2018 09:52pm
Why did ECP allow cameraman inside polling station and why not polling agent explained IK the process. It’s ECP failure not IK.
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Aug 08, 2018 10:05pm
ECP trying to show their authority and hidding their incompetency and partial attitude towards PTI - this is unjust and silly way to handle a minor and trivial incident!
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Aug 08, 2018 10:21pm
There is no secrecy for his own vote, ECP should be ashamed of wasting time & money of taxpayers.
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Aug 08, 2018 10:25pm
This was an honest mistake. Imran Khan should apologise.
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Aug 08, 2018 10:27pm
Complete non-sense and waste of money from both sides, IK has no idea the importance of secrecy of the vote and ECP should not waste time on these minor issues. Pakistan, needs to be serious about real issues
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Aug 08, 2018 10:35pm
What is the Penalty/Fine/Consequences for such violation?
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Aug 08, 2018 10:44pm
ECP bye laws suggest voiding Imran's vote and Rs.15000 fine. Thats it.
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Aug 08, 2018 10:47pm
This is ridiculous. Who do you think he would have voted for?
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Aug 08, 2018 10:50pm
Good work ECP.
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Aug 08, 2018 11:00pm
Eye wash
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Aug 08, 2018 11:02pm
Exact same thing was done by Kalsoom Nawaz In 2013. Nothing was done on that occasion so why now with IK.
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Aug 08, 2018 11:12pm
What an abuse of power and nation’s resources by the ECP. His casting of voting was symbolic in the sense that it is obvious that he is voting for PTI as the Chairman. Who else would he vote for? There is and was nothing secret about his ballot and the vote. This is how you make mockery of your organisation by failing to use your discretion and pragmatism. Please grow up!
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Aug 08, 2018 11:42pm
he will be spared with a warning. nothing esle will happen. law is not same here in pak for haves and have nots.
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Aug 08, 2018 11:45pm
How easy it is for Imran Khan to trip himself up.
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Aug 08, 2018 11:46pm
How did cameras got inside. SC should summon ECP for stagging this set up.
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Aug 09, 2018 12:03am
Another example of how the spirit of the law is not understood by those trying to keep order. The law is to make sure that people feel safe in voting for the candidates of their choice and aren't threatened in any way. IK being the leader of the largest party in the country has no such issues, and the whole world knows who he voted for.
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Aug 09, 2018 12:05am
He was supposed to vote for PML-N
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Aug 09, 2018 12:18am
This is getting out of control. So now IK has to invest his time and resources to respond to a video of him? There are a lot bigger problems than this in Pakistan. Please move on.
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Aug 09, 2018 01:13am
This is obviously ridiculous! EPC should look at the spirit of the law which is to ensure other voters are not unduly influenced by a single voter and also protecting individual voter’s right to privacy, none of which are applicable here.
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Aug 09, 2018 01:32am
The spirit of the law is that the secrecy of the ballot is for the protection of the voter. It goes without saying that the voter has the prerogative to forego this protection.
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Aug 09, 2018 01:57am
Secret franchise is to protect the voter. Imran in this case was the voter. If he did not want his secret exercised, what is ECPs problem? Why were the cameras inside the poling station? Who was pointing with a pencil on the ballot gesturing Imran to stamp. Provide a warning if you have to and move forward. Stop getting into thiese tiny details which have no effect on the result of the elections. Please mature.
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Aug 09, 2018 02:01am
Feeble and silly attempts to stop the inevitable.
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Aug 09, 2018 02:13am
Disqualify him
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Aug 09, 2018 02:27am
He was honest in casting hiss ballot. So this is a non issue. Long live ik.
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Aug 09, 2018 02:44am
This is a minor infraction; must be let go with a light verbal reprimand.
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Aug 09, 2018 03:55am
IK is not eligible anymore!
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Aug 09, 2018 04:00am
A voter SHOULD BE ABLE to disclose her-his vote - but no one else should be able to probe and find out how a voter voted if the voter wants to keep choices private.
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Aug 09, 2018 04:19am
ECP should announce results of 24 halkey..the whole country is in disarray due to their incompetence. This is totally a non issue... they should know their priorities better.
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Aug 09, 2018 05:00am
ECP should quickly conclude he is the leader of his own party will obviously votevfor himself. Worst case cancel his own vote and move on. He will be our future PM Inshallah.
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Aug 09, 2018 05:59am
Trivia: Which PM in waiting didn’t know that under all conditions, he must preserve secrecy & sanctity of his vote?
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Aug 09, 2018 06:27am
Do not touch him ? ? ? ? ?.
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Aug 09, 2018 07:06am
All wrongdoings of IK are acceptable!
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Aug 09, 2018 07:55am
Let me guess, according to ECP, secrecy is important for the head of a political party because, its quite possible Imran Khan might have voted for Nawaz Sharif or even Zardari in privacy.
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Aug 09, 2018 09:51am
Utter nonsense. This shows where true loyalties of ECP lie.
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Aug 09, 2018 09:53am
@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani ,no such action was taken against Kalsoom Nawaz when she did the same earlier!!!!
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Aug 10, 2018 12:52pm
Its not his fault there were cameras inside the polling station over his head.
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Aug 10, 2018 09:35pm
If Imran Khan was being asked to answer for revealing his own vote by the ECP,it was incumbent for the ECP to have first asked the polling staff,video making people , airing tv channels and other persons who came into the polling booth uninvited. This is what relevant clauses ie articles 81 and 178 of Election Act 2017 stipulated.
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