The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is scheduled to hear nine electoral cases over the coming days, according to cause lists published on the Commission’s official website. These hearings are listed between January 7 and January 14. These cases include a disqualification reference against sitting legislator, proceedings on violation of the ECP’s code of conduct against public office holders, disputes over by-election results, cases relating to intra-party elections, and a reserved-seat candidate case.

Before sharing the key facts of these cases and their current status, it is important to understand the legal framework under which the ECP hears and decides such matters.

What powers does the ECP have to hear these cases?

The Election Commission functions as both an election management body as well as an adjudicatory forum, deriving its powers from Article 218(3) of the Constitution and the Elections Act 2017 enacted by the Parliament under the Article 222 of the Constitution. The Elections Act empowers the ECP to hear and decide complaints, applications, petitions or appeals, or act on its own motion in a range of issues relating to elections. Section 6(3) of the Act authorizes the Chief Election Commissioner to constitute benches, from amongst the five members of the Commission, comprising two or members for hearing and deciding such cases.

Which cases are scheduled for hearing?

Rigging allegations in NA-185 by-election: The ECP will hear a case regarding allegation of rigging in by-election held in NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan-II on November 23, 2025. Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) candidate Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa, who is former Chief Minister Punjab and was runner-up in the by-election, had filed an application with the ECP seeking an investigation into by-election, suspension of notification of returned candidate belonging to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), declaration of himself as returned candidate, and legal action against all individuals involved in alleged electoral rigging. The previous hearing in the matter was held on December 23, 2025.

Read more about November 23 by-election in NA-185

Intra-party election disputes: The ECP is also scheduled to hear two separate cases on January 7 relating to the intra-party elections of the Awaam Pakistan Party and the Pakistan Peoples League Party.

Disqualification reference against a sitting MNA: The ECP will hold the next hearing of a disqualification reference against PTI-affiliated independent MNA Sohail Sultan on January 8, 2026. Mr. Sultan was elected from NA-4 Swat-III during General Election 2024. The Speaker National Assembly had forwarded the reference to the Commission on information received by a citizen from Swat, who alleged that Sohail Sultan contested the election without completing the mandatory two-year period after leaving government service. According to the complainant, he had previously served as Assistant Advocate General in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until 2026. The reference is pending before the ECP in October 2024. Mr. Sultan has earlier approached Peshawar High Court to stay the ECP proceedings; however, the court dismissed his petition.

Check FAFEN’s analysis of NA-4 results in GE-2024

Alleged breach of ballot secrecy in a by-election: Another case due before the ECP on January 8 concerns an alleged breach of ballot secrecy by PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali during the November 23 by-election in Faisalabad. A video circulating on social media showed the Senator marking his ballot paper in front of cameras rather than behind the secrecy screen inside the polling booth. Earlier, the Returning Officer of PP-116 had also summoned him in this regard. The hearing, initially scheduled for January 6, was rescheduled for January 8 due to the unavailability of the Commission.

Proceedings against Minister of State for Interior and his brother: On January 8, the ECP will hear proceedings against the Minister of State for Interior Senator Talal Chaudhry over an alleged violation of the election code of conduct during by-election campaign of his brother Bilal Badar. Earlier, the Commission had withheld the victory notification of his brother. However, following the appearance of both the minister and the returned candidate before the Commission, the ECP subsequently allowed the issuance of the notification.

Read FAFEN’s coverage of by-elections in Faisalabad

Proceedings against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister: On January 13, the ECP will take up proceedings against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over alleged violations of the election code of conduct in connection with the NA-18 Haripur by-election. The Commission took notice of a speech delivered by the Chief Minister in relation to the by-election, while a similar complaint was also filed by a PML-N candidate. Both the complaint and the Commission’s notice have been clubbed and are being heard together.

Read FAFEN story on Haripur by-election

By-election result challenge in PP-169: On January 13, the ECP will hear an application filed by independent candidate Muhammad Iqbal Pitafi seeking recounting and re-polling in the PP-269 Muzaffargarh-II by-election. The application has been filed against the returned candidate, Alamdar Abbas Qureshi.

Read more about the by-election in FAFEN’s profile on PP-269

Reserved-seat impersonation complaint: On January 14, the Commission is scheduled to hear a complaint regarding the alleged impersonation of a woman candidate elected as a Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam Pakistan (JUIP) nominee on a women-reserved seat. Ms. Sadaf Ihsan was declared as a returned candidate on a women-reserved seat in March 2024. However, the party has disputed her election, stating that it never nominated the candidate and that she impersonated another nominee with a similar name. The instant case before the ECP was filed by another JUI-F candidate Hina Bibi who claims to be next in line in the party list of JUIP for election to the National Assembly on a woman-reserved seat instead of Sadaf Ihsan. The issue has been pending before the Commission since March 2024 when the first notification of Ms. Ihsan was issued. Previously, the matter was also heard by the Peshawar High Court and the Supreme Court.