Lahore High Court Deems PTI's Request for Electoral Symbol Reinstatement 'Inadmissible

LHC Dismissal of Petition: Challenge to PTI Intra-Party Polls Declared "Inadmissible"

On Thursday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled against Umar Aftab Dhillon's petition, challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) declaration of PTI's intra-party polls as "unconstitutional," as reported by Geo News.

Symbol Revoked: ECP Decision Impacts PTI's Iconic 'Bat'

LHC Justice Jawad Hassan, who reserved the verdict a day earlier, dismissed the plea, upholding the ECP's decision that also revoked PTI's iconic 'bat' electoral symbol.

Dhillon's Plea: Quest to Reclaim Electoral Symbol in Punjab

Urging the court on Wednesday, Dhillon sought to overturn the commission's order and direct the publication of PTI’s intra-party election certificate on its website.

Jurisdiction Dispute: ECP's Authority Questioned by Petitioner

Dhillon argued the symbol's withdrawal was unlawful, emphasizing that the matter of intra-party polls was beyond the electoral body's jurisdiction. He contended that the ECP, lacking the status of a court of law, couldn't question party appointments or intra-party elections.

Tactics Alleged: Impeding PTI Candidates through Nomination Papers and Symbol Denial

The complainant's lawyer claimed that various tactics were hindering PTI candidates, from blocking nomination papers to disallowing the use of the 'bat' symbol.

PHC Verdict Highlighted: PTI Lawyer Points to Symbol Reinstatement

 

During the proceedings, the PTI lawyer referenced the Peshawar High Court (PHC) reinstating the party's electoral symbol. However, Justice Jawad clarified that the PHC verdict on the appeal against the order was still pending.

Non-Maintainable Plea: Government Counters, PTI Leader Not Directly Affected

The government's lawyer argued the plea was non-maintainable, asserting that the PTI leader was not directly affected by the ECP decision.

PHC's Reinforcement: Reinstatement of ECP Order Deprives PTI

A day earlier, the PHC reinstated the ECP's December 22 order declaring PTI's intra-party elections unconstitutional. This decision deprived PTI of its leader and electoral symbol. Justice Ijaz Khan, heading a single bench of the high court, vacated the stay order issued on December 26, temporarily suspending the commission's decision.