ECP to challenge PHC's stay order on PTI intra-party elections verdict

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is likely to challenge the stay order of the Peshawar High Court in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections case, ARY News reported, citing sources.

On Dec 22, the electoral watchdog stripped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its electoral symbol ‘bat’ symbol in a decision on founding member Akbar S Babar’s petition challenging the intra-party elections to be in line with the rules.

The decision was taken in a consultatory meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja to review the Peshawar High Court’s verdict on PTI intra-party elections that restored the electoral symbol of ‘bat’.

The electoral body has reportedly decided to move the divisional bench of Peshawar High Court for the dismissal of the stay order on the PTI intra-party elections verdict.

The PHC verdict

PHC Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel announced the verdict after reserving his order on a PTI petition against the ECP decision.

“After hearing the arguments from both sides, this Court reached to a conclusion that as elections are scheduled to be held on 08 February, 2024 and last date for allotment of election symbols is 13th January, 2024, so keeping in view the urgency, that a political party has been denuded of its symbol, meaning thereby that aspirants from the general public who were willing to vote for the petitioners’ party were divested of their right to vote as per their choice,” said the written order issued by PHC.