ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is likely to challenge the stay order of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections case.

On Dec 22, the ECP stripped PTI of its electoral symbol “bat” in a decision on founding member Akbar S Babar’s petition challenging the intra-party elections, Babar contested that the party failed to conduct intra-party election in accordance with set rules and regulations, therefore, the party’s elections should be declared null and void.

The decision was taken in a consultative meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to review the PHC’s verdict on PTI intra-party elections that restored the electoral symbol of “bat”.

According to sources, the ECP after two days detailed deliberations on the situation erupted following PHC’s single bench decision on the PTI election symbol “bat” has decided to move the divisional bench of PHC for the dismissal of the stay order on the PTI intra-party elections verdict.

PHC Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel announced the verdict after reserving his order on a PTI petition against the ECP decision, which has been not only criticised by the rival PTI political parties but also commentators.

“After hearing the arguments from both sides, this Court reached to a conclusion that as elections are scheduled to be held on 08 February, 2024 and last date for allotment of election symbols is 13th January, 2024, so keeping in view the urgency, that a political party has been denuded of its symbol, meaning thereby that aspirants from the general public who were willing to vote for the petitioners’ party were divested of their right to vote as per their choice,” said the written order issued by PHC.

Meanwhile, the ECP on Friday, also revised the election schedule of the reserved seats. According to a notification issued here, the ECP has made some changes in the election program of reserved seats of women and minorities. The scrutiny process on reserved seats will be extended to January 13, 2023, appeals against the decisions of the returning officers (ROs) could be filed till January 16 and Appellate Tribunal will decide the appeals by January 19, 2023. The Election Commission will publish the final list on reserved seats on January 23.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023