In a significant development ahead of Pakistan's general elections, the Peshawar High Court has declared the Election Commission's decision to revoke the cricket ‘bat’ electoral symbol of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party as unconstitutional. The court directed the electoral body to restore PTI's iconic symbol and upload the party’s certificate of internal elections on its website. This decision comes after the party withdrew its appeal from the Supreme Court seeking the reinstatement of its electoral symbol.
On December 22, the Election Commission of Pakistan had revoked PTI's cricket ‘bat’ symbol, citing the party's failure to hold intra-party polls under the current Constitution and election laws. The Peshawar High Court termed the Election Commission's decision "incorrect" and ordered the restoration of PTI's symbol. However, the electoral watchdog filed a review petition, leading to the high court again stripping the party of its symbol. PTI then appealed to the Supreme Court.
The recent decision by the Peshawar High Court is seen as a major relief for PTI ahead of the general elections. The court annulled the decision to take away PTI’s electoral symbol, with PTI counsel Barrister Ali Zafar stating that the court has ordered the restoration of the bat symbol and the immediate upload of intra-party poll results on its website. Zafar also alleged a conspiracy against PTI to deprive it of the bat symbol.
This ruling is expected to impact PTI's electoral prospects positively, as the cricket ‘bat’ symbol is widely associated with Imran Khan and his party. The court's decision emphasizes the importance of following legal procedures and upholding the rule of law in the electoral process.
(With Agency Inputs)
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