ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has resumed hearing today the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea challenging the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) verdict to restore the PTI’s ‘bat’ election symbol.
A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musarrat Hilali, is hearing the case.
The Election Commission of Pakistan, in its pela, stated that the verdict of the PHC was against the Constitution and law. Earlier, the Peshawar High Court had restored the election symbol of PTI on the petition of the party.
PTI’s ‘Bat’ Symbol: Supreme Court Resumes Hearing ECP’s Plea
On Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had challenged the PHC’s decision in the apex court seeking to overturn the verdict that invalidated its decision on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s intra-party elections and the withdrawal of its election symbol “bat”.
In its appeal submitted to the apex court, the Election Commission of Pakistan argued for the PHC’s verdict to be declared as illegal, saying that the PTI had failed to organize intra-party polls in compliance with the Election Act of the constitution. This move followed a meeting where the Election Commission of Pakistan reviewed the decision of PHC and also discussed the possibility of approaching the apex court.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) had issued a short order earlier, declaring the ECP’s order of December 22, as “unconstitutional, without any lawful authority and of no legal effect.” The high court also directed the ECP to publish the certificate of PTI’s intra-party polls on its website and issued the election symbol under the Election Act.
As per local media reports, the Election Commission of Pakistan will allot election symbols to political parties on Saturday (today).
