Bushra Siddiqui

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took legal action on Saturday, filing a petition in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to contest the single-bench ruling regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral ‘bat’ symbol. The high court’s decision on December 26 suspended the ECP’s order, allowing PTI to use the ‘bat’ symbol until a final decision is reached.

The PHC, in response to PTI’s petition challenging the ECP’s declaration of intra-party polls as “illegal,” had temporarily restored the party’s symbol. A double bench is slated to further address the matter after the winter vacations.

In its petition, the ECP urges the court to review PTI’s intra-party elections and the decision regarding the election symbol. Emphasizing its duty to conduct elections justly and fairly, the ECP requests the court to prioritize the case for a division bench, considering the broader public interest.

The petition cites Article 218(3), empowering the electoral body to organize and conduct elections, emphasizing its responsibility to make necessary arrangements ahead of the polls. It argues that any challenge to the election process’s various stages, as seen in this case, equates to challenging the entire electoral process.

The ECP asserts its legal authority, as per Article 218(3), to preemptively exercise its powers to prevent violations of electoral standards. The petition seeks the recall of “interim relief” granted by the single bench on December 26, arguing that it goes against legal principles and Supreme Court precedents.