Imran Khan’s party regains cricket ‘bat’ symbol as Pakistani court deems ECP order unconstitutional
In a major relief for Imran Khan's party ahead of the general elections, a high court in Pakistan on Wednesday declared as unconstitutional the election commission's decision revoking the jailed former premier's party's cricket ‘bat’ electoral symbol and rejecting its organisational polls.
Peshawar: In a major relief for Imran Khan’s party ahead of the general elections, a high court in Pakistan on Wednesday declared as unconstitutional the election commission’s decision revoking the jailed former premier’s party’s cricket ‘bat’ electoral symbol and rejecting its organisational polls.
The Peshawar High Court directed the electoral body to return the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party its iconic cricket ‘bat’ electoral symbol back and upload the party’s certificate of internal elections on its website, Dawn newspaper reported.
The decision comes shortly after the party withdrew from the Supreme Court its appeal seeking the restoration of its electoral symbol.
On December 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan decided against letting PTI retain its electoral symbol for the February 8 election, saying that it had failed to hold intra-party polls under its current Constitution and election laws. Continue reading
A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Arshad Ali termed the ECP’s decision “incorrect”.
The PTI had approached the PHC against the ECP order on December 26 and a single-member bench restored the electoral symbol of the party till January 9.
