The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared PTI Chairman Imran Khan as the winner of all the constituencies in which he won during the October by-elections. A three-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, announced the verdict on Thursday. The ECP had taken notice of Khan’s failure to submit the details of his election expenses within the stipulated time.
According to the election laws, every returned candidate is required to submit the details of their election expenses within five days of the election. The verdict stated that Imran Khan had submitted the required details to the ECP after which it decided to notify him as the winning candidate on all the seven National Assembly seats.
The PTI chief had contested the by-polls on six seats on October 16, and on another seat on October 30. Khan’s counsel, Gohar Baloch, had informed the ECP that the respondent had submitted the details along with vouchers. He had also argued that the delay in filing the return of election expenses was not intentional, as the respondent was busy with the party affairs and was bedridden due to injuries he received in an armed attack.
The ECP order stated that the delay was due to the medical condition of the respondent, and any delay may be condoned keeping in view the medical situation of the respondent. The ECP has dismissed the application filed by Ali Gohar Baloch and directed that the notification of the returned candidate may be issued from all the constituencies from which he has emerged as the returned candidate.
