Peshawar: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict, declaring the PTI’s intra-party polls as unconstitutional and revocation of the party’s ‘bat’ election symbol.
Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel pronounced the verdict shortly after reserving his order on a PTI petition against the ECP decision.
During the hearing, PTI lawyers informed the court that intra-party polls were carried out over the orders of the ECP and according to the Constitution.
The judge directed that notices be issued to the ECP and other respondents in the case.
Earlier the day, the PTI had filed the petition naming the ECP and those who challenged the elections as respondents. It had requested the court for an urgent hearing of the matter.
The petition stated that the ECP did not have the authority to decide the procedure for intra-party elections. The complainant who challenged the intra-party polls was not a party member, it added.
Last week, the electoral watchdog had declared PTI intra-party polls as “unconstitutional” and revoked its claim on its electoral symbol — “bat”.
