Peshawar High Court reserved judgement on ECP pleas against PTI intra-party elections

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on review pleas filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PHC’s verdict to suspend the electoral watchdog’s declaration of PTI’s intra-party polls and ‘cricket bat’ as the party’s electoral symbol.

During the hearing today a single-member bench presided over by Justice Ejaz Khan conducted the hearing. The ECP counsel Sikandar Mohmand sought a review of the PHC’s ruling for PTI intra-party election and ‘bat’ symbol for February 8, general elections.

The ECP filed two pleas in the Peshawar High Court.In one application, the ECP requested the high court to suspend the interim relief granted to the petitioners (PTI leaders) by a single-member bench on Dec 26 and In another application, the ECP sought the formation of a two-member special bench to hear the matter.

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The ECP repeated its stance in the court that a verdict cannot be passed without hearing the ECP’s arguments, adding, “The election commission is an independent body which reserves the prerogative to give its judgments,” the advocate maintained and stated that whatever the ECP decides, becomes the final judgement.

The ECP argued that the stay order granted by PHC was not an interim relief but is tantamount to final verdict on the matter.

The ECP requested the judge to withdraw the December 26 order, adding that a bench should be constituted to hear the case properly. Surprisingly, the PTI lawyers did not appear before the court today.

The court reserved its verdict on ECP pleas.

On December 26, a single bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) allowed PTI to contest the February 8 general elections on “bat” – the party symbol. The court put on hold the election commission’s decision until the case is resolved.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had earlier declared PTI ineligible to obtain iconic ‘bat’ as Election Symbol and ruled intra-party polls unconstitutional.