ECP summons Imran for breaching secrecy of ballot

E-Paper | October 02, 2026

ECP summons Imran for breaching secrecy of ballot

Fahad Chaudhry Published August 8, 2018

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.

Pakistan

Imran Khan chooses Swat's Mahmood Khan as KP CM nominee

ECP rubbishes delay in assembly formation as caretaker govt announces NA session between Aug 12 and 14

Imran Khan to live in Punjab House annex after becoming PM: PTI

Salim Khan

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.

Recommend 0

Khurram

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.

Recommend 0

Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

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!

Recommend 0

Waste of money

Aug 08, 2018 10:21pm

There is no secrecy for his own vote, ECP should be ashamed of wasting time & money of taxpayers.

Recommend 0

Shafiq Shah

Aug 08, 2018 10:25pm

This was an honest mistake. Imran Khan should apologise.

Recommend 0

t hanif

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

Recommend 0

Life

Aug 08, 2018 10:35pm

What is the Penalty/Fine/Consequences for such violation?

Recommend 0

Sameer

Aug 08, 2018 10:44pm

ECP bye laws suggest voiding Imran's vote and Rs.15000 fine. Thats it.

Recommend 0

junaid

Aug 08, 2018 10:47pm

This is ridiculous. Who do you think he would have voted for?

Recommend 0

NeutraView

Aug 08, 2018 10:50pm

Good work ECP.

Recommend 0

Tahir Raouf

Aug 08, 2018 11:00pm

Eye wash

Recommend 0

Abbas

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.

Recommend 0

Wahid

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!

Recommend 0

karachiite

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.

Recommend 0

TomTom

Aug 08, 2018 11:45pm

How easy it is for Imran Khan to trip himself up.

Recommend 0

Khurram

Aug 08, 2018 11:46pm

How did cameras got inside. SC should summon ECP for stagging this set up.

Recommend 0

charlie

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.

Recommend 0

Wajih Qidwai

Aug 09, 2018 12:05am

He was supposed to vote for PML-N

Recommend 0

Aslam Khan

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.

Recommend 0

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.

Recommend 0

Ali Kazmi

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.

Recommend 0

N. Rahim, Toronto

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.

Recommend 0

Akram

Aug 09, 2018 02:01am

Feeble and silly attempts to stop the inevitable.

Recommend 0

Harris

Aug 09, 2018 02:13am

Disqualify him

Recommend 0

Jaredlee67

Aug 09, 2018 02:27am

He was honest in casting hiss ballot. So this is a non issue. Long live ik.

Recommend 0

Syed Zafar Kazmi U.S.A

Aug 09, 2018 02:44am

This is a minor infraction; must be let go with a light verbal reprimand.

Recommend 0

Aamir

Aug 09, 2018 03:55am

IK is not eligible anymore!

Recommend 0

Tamza

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.

Recommend 0

Mohsin

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.

Recommend 0

Pakman

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.

Recommend 0

What about me

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?

Recommend 0

R K HASTIR

Aug 09, 2018 06:27am

Do not touch him ? ? ? ? ?.

Recommend 0

Aamir

Aug 09, 2018 07:06am

All wrongdoings of IK are acceptable!

Recommend 0

LAHORI KID

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.

Recommend 0

Aug 09, 2018 09:51am

Utter nonsense. This shows where true loyalties of ECP lie.

Recommend 0

Aug 09, 2018 09:53am

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani ,no such action was taken against Kalsoom Nawaz when she did the same earlier!!!!

Recommend 0

Najam

Aug 10, 2018 12:52pm

Its not his fault there were cameras inside the polling station over his head.

Recommend 0

Muneer

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.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Putting better health in more hands: Reckitt Pakistan unveils Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan in partnership with Aga Khan Foundation

Powered by Dettol and Harpic, the flagship platform begins in schools to provide safe drinking water, rehabilitated toilets, handwashing facilities and hygiene education.

28 years of McDonald’s Pakistan: celebrating the local partners behind the Golden Arches

The milestone highlighted the structural evolution of the company's local procurement model.

Etihad Town Sialkot delivers Possession ahead of time

The project was delivered within just 1.5 years against a 3-year payment plan, while commercial possession had already been handed over to customers in January 2026.