In a significant update from Pakistan, the Peshawar High Court has suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling which stripped the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI), of its ‘bat’ election symbol and declared its intra-party polls unconstitutional. The PTI, previously led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has engaged in a legal battle regarding the constitutionality of its intra-party polls.
In response to this court order, the ECP has been directed to promptly display the PTI’s certificate on its website and reinstate the party’s election symbol. This action came in response to a copy of the court order, which was reported by local news portal Dawn, and is set to affect all involved parties.
The ECP’s initial decision to strip PTI of its symbol came on the heels of a judgment from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, directing the ECP to ensure a fair and free process for the upcoming general elections in February. The suspension order was passed due to the PTI’s alleged non-compliance with directives outlined in the Elections Act, 2017 and the PTI Constitution, 2019.
The ECP is a permanent constitutional entity with full financial autonomy from the government. It is responsible for ensuring the integrity of elections for assemblies, the senate and local governments in Pakistan. Despite its mandated responsibilities, the ECP has recently faced allegations of partiality from the PTI. In response to the suspension order, PTI has also filed a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court.
With growing responsibilities and increasing court interference, an ECP official has emphasized the need for operational autonomy within the ECP. The official, in a statement to Dawn, stated that the ECP is contemplating action against the Peshawar High Court Order in the Supreme Court.