PHC sets for hearing PTI plea challenging ECP decision on Intra-party election, bat symbol

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday challenged the decision of the Election Commission Pakistan on PTI’s intra-party elections and its electoral symbol of bat before the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

The PHC has set the petition for a hearing later today. Justice Kamram Hayat will hear the petition.

PTI leader Barrister Gohar had arrived at the court by 1pm. The court closed its doors for the general public as a large number of PTI supporters gathered outside the courtroom.

In the petition, PTI’s lawyers requested the court to overturn the Election Commission’s decision of taking away the bat symbol from the PTI.

The petition argues that the ECP’s decision to nullify the PTI’s intra-party elections and withdraw the bat symbol is “illegal and unconstitutional”.

The petition said that the Election Commission had no authority to decide on the manner of conducting party elections.

In its petition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has listed Akbar S Babar and other petitioners as respondents who had challenged the intra-party elections.

The Election Commission of Pakistan declared that PTI’s intra-party elections were null and void on Friday.

The ECP said that PTI would not be given the bat symbol in the upcoming general election as it had failed to organise the election as per its constitution and the Election Rules and Election Act.

The PTI has requested the court to form a bench of senior judges and set the petition for hearing today.