On Thursday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) initiated legal action by filing a contempt plea in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), citing the ECP’s delayed issuance of the party certificate.
In response to the delay, the PTI named Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the secretary of the election commission, and other ECP members as respondents in the petition. This legal move transpired a day after the high court overturned the ECP’s previous decision, returning the ‘bat’ electoral symbol to PTI and deeming the electoral watchdog’s initial ruling null and void.
Read more : PHC Decision Announced, PTI Regains Its Bat Symbol
The filed petition asserts that the ECP’s action is tantamount to contempt of court, impeding the regular electoral processes of the PTI in clear violation of the court’s explicit instructions.
In a significant development the previous day, the PHC declared the ECP’s decision to revoke the PTI’s ‘bat’ electoral symbol and reject its intra-party polls as “illegal.” The court’s short order characterized the ECP’s decision as lacking legal authority, being without any lawful basis, and having no legal effect. The court further directed the ECP to publish the certificate submitted by the PTI following its internal polls on the commission’s official website.
Furthermore, the PHC affirmed the PTI’s entitlement to the election symbol under sections 215 and 217, along with other relevant provisions of the Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017. This legal victory not only reinstates the ‘bat’ symbol for the PTI but also emphasizes the adherence to legal procedures and the rule of law in electoral matters.
The contempt plea filed by the PTI against the ECP is a continuation of the legal battle, asserting that the ECP’s actions have not only caused a delay but also impinged on the party’s electoral rights. The ongoing legal proceedings will play a crucial role in determining the resolution of this dispute and upholding the principles of fairness and justice in the electoral process.
