PTI retains ‘bat’ symbol as PHC suspends ECP’s revocation

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) suspended on Tuesday the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision of revocation of the bat symbol for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The PHC began hearing on PTI’s petition challenging the ECP of nullifying intra-party polls as unconstitutional and the revocation of the bat symbol.

Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel presided over the hearing.

During the last hearing, PHC had ordered the ECP to decide the case by December 22 in “accordance with the law”.

Background

PTI’s intraparty elections, in which Barrister Gohar Khan was elected as chairman of the party after being nominated by PTI founder and former chairman Imran Khan, were held on December 2 on directives issued by the electoral body.

However, the polls had drawn sharp criticism as estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar announced that he would challenge the entire process.

He had alleged that the PTI had carried out a selection process aimed at throwing out party workers to give the reins to a few lawyers.

On December 2, the electoral body nullified the former ruling party’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.

The provisions of Section 215 of the Election Act 2017 are hereby invoked and PTI is hereby declared ineligible to obtain the election symbol for which they have applied for.“

On Saturday, PTI now-former chairman Gohar Ali Khan declared that the party would approach the PHC or Supreme Court against the ECP decision to deprive the party of its traditional electoral symbol of bat.

Speaking at a presser, he said that PTI’s petition regaining the ‘bat’ electoral symbol would be filed on Tuesday morning (today), adding that consultation in this regard had almost been completed.

Without naming the ECP, Gohar said that all its efforts were aimed at depriving his party of the reserved seats.