ISLAMABAD: Days after winning Senate by-election from Punjab, PML-N leader and former minister of state for water and power Abid Sher Ali finds himself in hot waters over alleged violation of ballot secrecy during the PP-116 Faisalabad by-election last month.

Abid Sher Ali’s video while casting vote inside the polling station went viral on social media. The footage showed him stamping his ballot paper - a legal offence under the law .Photographing or filming a marked ballot is prohibited under election laws.

Abid Sher Ali appeared before a five member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

Special Secretary law told the bench that Abid Sher Ali made a video while stamping ballot papers.

“is it allowed to make videos and carry mobile phones into polling stations? Member Punjab, asked.

“Is it permissible to take a mobile phone and make a video inside a polling station” Member Punjab asked. He also asked whether publicly stamping ballot papers or making videos is a crime.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said these were two separate offences.

“Stamping ballot papers in front of everyone is a crime, making a video of stamping is also a crime”, he remarked.

He noted that secrecy of the vote has been violated, pointing out that there’s a separate booth for stamping.

When counsel for Abid Sher Ali sought documents to see the nature of the case, CEC it was all written in section 185A of the elections act that the secrecy of the vote should be maintained.

The Chief Election Commissioner stopped Abid Sher Ali when he asked if he can speak.

He was told to give arguments on next date of hearing.The case was adjourned till January 6 after Abid Sher Ali said he was supposed to go for Umrah.

The Election Commission also heard the case of alleged violation of the code of conduct against Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and his brother MNA Bilal Chaudhry during the recent by-elections and directed action against the district monitoring officer (DMO) Faisalabad over stark variations in three identical complaints against the duo.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025