The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved its verdict over a contempt notice issued to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umer for allegedly speaking against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.
A four-member ECP bench, which heard the case, said it would announce its verdict after examining the replies of PTI’s counsel.
Faisal Chaudhry, representing the PTI, said they had already challenged the matter before the high court. The ECP secretary was not mandated to issue any such notice as according to the law only the Supreme Court had the authority to do so.
The counsel, in his reply submitted to the bench, said Article 19 of the Constitution provided right of freedom of speech to every citizen. He pleaded the bench to withdraw its contempt notice.
Speaking to the media outside the ECP, Faisal Chaudhry said he has argued that the Commission was not a judicial platform and could not issue contempt notices.
