ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reserved its verdict in the case related to the delay in the intraparty elections of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)— whereas the former ruling party has announced that it has been allotted the electoral symbol of bat to contest the polls in future

A four-member ECP bench comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and former Justice Ikramullah Khan heard the case on Wednesday.

In the proceedings, PTI’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan informed the bench that Barrister Ali Zafar, the main defence counsel, was busy in a case in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and that he would soon appear before the bench to present arguments.

Later, the bench reserved its verdict in the case that is expected to be announced soon.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Barrister Gohar said he appeared before the ECP in his capacity as PTI Chief Election Commissioner.

He said that the ECP accepted the PTI’s arguments over delay in the intraparty elections and allotted it the electoral symbol of bat.

“Alhamdulillah appeared as Chief Election Commissioner PTI and got “bat” as our Symbol for Election. Our intraparty elections accepted; detail order of ECP to follow. Congratulations to all,” he later posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

In June, last year, Jamal Akbar Ansari, the then PTI CEC, submitted new PTI constitution to ECP, with some amendments, along with certificate of intraparty elections and relevant documents. However, the ECP declared those documents as “deficient.”

The political party again submitted to the ECP the intraparty documents including notification of elected office-bearers. Again, the electoral body found these documents deficient, and sent them back to PTI for “removal of deficiencies.”

In March this year, the PTI CEC informed the commission that amendments made in the PTI constitution were withdrawn. The commission declared that intraparty elections were required to be held afresh—due to the consequential effects of withdrawal of amendments on the intraparty elections.

According to ECP, the PTI intraparty elections were due since June 2021 and different letters have been sent to the political party leadership in this regard.

The Section 208 of the Elections Act 2017 makes it mandatory on political parties to hold intraparty polls.

Under Section 215 of the same law, if any political party fails to hold the intraparty elections, the ECP is empowered to declare the said political party ineligible to obtain an election symbol.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023