• Petition had sought removal of chief election commissioner, four others
• Council rejects allegations of misconduct, constitutional violations

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has dismissed a PTI complaint accusing the chief election commissioner and other members of the Election Commission of Pakistan of being incapable of performing their constitutional duties and thus guilty of misconduct.

The complaint was considered by the SJC during a meeting on Feb 11, but after due deliberations, the council rejected it.

“After deliberation, your complaint has been filed/dismissed by the Supreme Judicial Council of Pakistan,” stated a communication addressed to the PTI on May 21.

Earlier, the complaint was jointly filed by the PTI and former Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan. They argued that constitutional obligations demand the ECP act independently, without taking sides in favour of or against any political party.

Along with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, other commission members named in the complaint were Babar Hassan Bharwana, Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and retired Justice Ikramullah Khan.

PTI alleged in its complaint that the ECP, under its constitutional obligations, cannot restrict or stop any political party from functioning and carrying out political activities.

Furthermore, it cannot shut its eyes if acts and violations are taking place that prevent elections from being conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law, the complaint said.

The complaint also alleged that the ECP, through different decisions, actions and omissions, acted in violation of the Constitution and their oath, disobeyed the orders of the Supreme Court, and sabotaged the functioning of the PTI as a political party.

“The ECP blatantly disregarded any form of neutrality and even violated the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan, according to the complaint. Thus, the CEC and members of the commission were liable to be removed for misconduct in the interest of justice,” it added.

The PTI alleged that the ECP breached its constitutional duties, obligations and responsibilities. Therefore, the CEC and other members must be replaced due to serious allegations of misconduct, including pre-poll, poll day and post-poll rigging.

The complainants also sought accountability for the unconstitutional actions of the ECP.

Additionally, the complaint alleged that the ECP executed a grand scheme to disqualify former prime minister Imran Khan and remove him as PTI chairman, thereby disabling him from participating in politics, damaging the political party, and then seeking to “disqualify” the PTI altogether from contesting the elections.

The first step taken by the ECP — which was contrary to the Constitution and the law, and violated its constitutional duty and obligation under Article 218 — was to de-seat the PTI founder from his National Assembly seat in Mianwali. This was done by the ECP at the behest of the National Assembly speaker, who belonged to the PML-N, the complaint alleged.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2026