The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday overturned its earlier stay order, reinstating the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision and declared the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party polls null and void, consequently revoking their right to use the ‘bat’ symbol in elections.
After hearing the case earlier, Justice Ejaz Khan, presiding over a single-member bench, announced the reserved verdict. The courtroom saw appearances from ECP’s lawyer, Sikander Bashir Mohmand and PTI’s legal representatives, Advocates Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and Qazi Anwar. The ECP had filed a review petition against the High Court’s December 26 decision, temporarily suspending the ECP’s order and allowing PTI to retain its symbol until a final decision was made.
Intense Debate and Final Ruling
At the hearing’s onset, Advocate Anwar, representing PTI, raised questions about the ECP’s authority to challenge a High Court order. He also pointed out the delay in implementing the High Court’s December 26 verdict, citing the absence of an intra-party election certificate on the ECP’s website. Addressing these concerns, Justice Khan sought clarity on whether PTI had filed a contempt case regarding the non-implementation of the previous verdict. The PTI counsel emphasized the importance of the ECP conducting free and fair elections without sidelining any party.
ECP’s counsel, Mohmand, argued that the PTI had not conducted its intra-party polls as required, declaring the party elections null and void. He urged the court to revoke PTI’s stay order. After hearing both sides, the court reserved its verdict, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle between PTI and the ECP.
