Pak poll panel serves notice to Imran Khan for not submitting details regarding expenses in by-elections: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 8 (ANI): The Election Commission of Pakistan has sent a notice to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for not submitting details regarding expenses in bye-elections, ARY News reported. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hear the case for non-payment of election expenses on December 13.
In its notice, the ECP said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan did not give details regarding expenses in by-elections of six constituencies, as per the ARY News report. According to ECP, the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan only presented details of elections expenses that were carried out in the Charsadda constituency as a successful candidate.
It noted that the expense details regarding the Charsadda constituency were also submitted after the due date, as per the ARY News report. As per law, details regarding expenses need to be submitted within three days post the election. The returning officers (ROs) have forwarded the case against Imran Khan.
On Tuesday, Pakistan Supreme Court allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan to carry out criminal proceedings against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, The News International reported.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Athar Minallah heard the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) petition requesting the transfer and consolidation of cases filed by the PTI in various high courts challenging its contempt notices.
The court said that the high courts had not restricted the ECP from taking action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and other party members but from conducting disciplinary action. The court told the ECP's counsel to analyse the objections that have been raised on the show-cause notices served against PTI leaders.
The Election Commission's Counsel said that PTI Chief Imran Khan and other party members, including Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umer were not appearing in the contempt proceedings, as per The News International report. The counsel called on the court to direct the respondents to appear before the ECP and also ask the high courts to take decisions regarding the cases challenging the contempt notices as soon as possible.
The Supreme Court disposed of the matter and permitted the ECP to continue with its proceedings according to the law and Constitution, as per The News International report. Pakistan's Supreme Court also told the country's high courts to take a decision regarding the pending applications of the petitioners challenging the ECP notices at the earliest. (ANI)