PTI gets back 'bat' symbol as PHC annuls ECP order

PESHAWAR: 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.

ECP verdict

On December 22, the ECP nullified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s intra-party elections, for the third time since last year, declaring the PTI ineligible for obtaining its traditional electoral symbol of ‘bat’.

In its verdict, the ECP said, “So keeping in view the clear mandate of Elections Act 2017 – it is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution 2019 and Elections Act 2017, and Election Rules, 2017. Therefore, the certificate dated 4th December, 2023 and Form-65 filed by the alleged chairman, is hereby regretted and rejected accordingly”.