Imran Khan, a former prime minister, and PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar had asked for immunity from the case, which the ECP bench turned today.
Before January 17, the ECP ordered PTI leaders to obtain bail against surety bonds totalling Rs. 50,000. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) filed a contempt action against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the leaders of his party, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan permitted the ECP to proceed with that case.
The PTI leaders, however, did not show up before the ECP, and they later contested its authority to begin contempt proceedings under Section 10 of the 2017 Election Act in several high courts. The ECP sought the top court in its six petitions to consolidate all contempt proceedings against PTI politicians from various high courts. The commission insisted that in August and September, it had served letters of contempt on PTI Chairman and ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan and other party heavyweights, including Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry.
The ECP claimed in a series of petitions that the high court rulings were invalid and unconstitutional because they prevented the ECP from taking “adverse action” against PTI leaders, essentially suspending Section 10 of the Elections Act, 2017
