PHC Upholds ECP Decision on PTI’s ‘Bat’ Election Symbol in Landmark Verdict

In a significant development, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has delivered its reserved verdict on the case pertaining to the election symbol for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its intra-party elections.

The court has now endorsed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea, leading to the withdrawal of its earlier stay order on the ECP’s decision to annul the PTI’s intra-party poll and subsequently strip it of its election symbol, the bat.

Initially, the high court had suspended the election commission’s ruling following a plea from the PTI. In response, the ECP filed a review, arguing that the court had granted a stay on the commission’s decision without allowing it a fair hearing.

With the PHC rescinding its stay order, the ECP’s original decision from December 22 against the PTI has been reinstated.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had previously lodged a review petition in the Peshawar High Court, challenging the order related to the PTI’s election symbol. The petition, submitted by the election commission’s legal representative, urged the formation of a special two-member bench for an expedited hearing. Additionally, it called for the lifting of the injunction and the establishment of a divisional bench to oversee the case.

On December 22, the ECP declared the PTI’s intra-party election null and void, subsequently revoking the party’s bat symbol. In response, the Peshawar High Court, on December 26, had suspended the Election Commission’s move to withdraw the ‘bat’ symbol from PTI.

PPP leader and senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, asserting that it was unjust to strip the party of its election symbol. He questioned the Election Commission’s authority to take away the rights of millions of voters with a single stroke of a pen, claiming that the party had been virtually destroyed.

Aitzaz emphasized that only the Supreme Court possessed the power to render a political party ineffective, highlighting the gravity of the ongoing legal battle.