ECP summons meeting after PHC restores PTI 'bat' symbol

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned an important meeting to mull over the PHC verdict which restored the “bat” symbol for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ahead of the February 8 polls, ARY News reported.

Sources privy to the matter told ARY News that the ECP huddle will mull over whether to challenge the PHC order in the Supreme Court (SC).

The meeting will be attended by all provincial ECP members and special secretaries.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday got back ‘bat’ as its election symbol after the Peshawar High Court (PHC) nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order of stripping the party of using the ‘bat’ symbol.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf moved Peshawar High Court to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision declaring the intra-party election as null and void and revoking their electoral symbol “bat”.

A two-member Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Arshad Ali announced the verdict.

The PHC while nullifying the order of the ECP, allowed the PTI to contest elections on ‘bat’ symbol. The verdict further directed the electoral body to upload the PTI’s certificate on its website.

On January 3, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) revoked the stay order and restored the ECP decision to declare PTI intra-party polls null and void and strip it of its election symbol — bat.

A single-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Khan announced the reserved verdict on a review plea filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the December 26 single-member bench order.