Dismissing a response submitted by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s counsel in the proceedings of code of conduct violation, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday demanded a signed apology on the matter. The directive was issued by a four-member bench headed by the chief election commissioner hearing suo motu proceedings against the PTI chairman for failing to maintain secrecy of ballot while casting his vote in NA-53 Islamabad. Imran Khan’s counsel Babar Awan appeared before the ECP and submitted a written reply stating that his client did not intentionally stamp his ballot publicly. It said that photos of Khan’s ballot were taken without his permission. The curtain, used around the ballot for secrecy, had fallen due to the crowd inside the polling booth, it maintained. Further, the reply sought an end to the case and requested the ECP to issue a notification for Khan’s victory from the constituency. However, the ECP dismissed the reply and directed Imran Khan to submit a written apology, complete with his signature. The commission then adjourned the hearing till Friday (today). According to the Form 45 uploaded on the ECP website, Imran has defeated former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in NA-53 Islamabad, bagging 92,891 votes against the latter’s 44,314 votes. The electoral body, however, withheld notification of his success from the constituency in view of the code of conduct violation proceedings. Published in Daily Times, August 10th 2018.