ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: According to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is an entity established by the constitution, and outside intervention is not permitted.
“The Supreme Court will not meddle in matters under the purview of the Pakistani Election Commission. But the court can investigate if ECP does anything that is unconstitutional,” the chief justice continued.
During a hearing on an ECP appeal challenging the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to reinstate the bat as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral symbol, the CJP made these statements.
The case is being heard by a three-judge panel of the highest court, which is chaired by Chief Justice Picha Isa and includes Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musarat Hilali.
Live broadcasts of the case hearings are available on the SC website and YouTube channel.
The PTI was represented by Advocate Hamid Khan and Barrister Ali Zafar, while the ECP was represented by Senior Counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan.
On Wednesday, the ECP order to revoke the election symbol “bat” and reject PTI intra-party elections was overruled by a two-member panel of the PHC.
Together with six other party leaders, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan filed a joint appeal in the high court asking for the ECP order to be ruled unlawful and without jurisdiction.
However, the ECP filed a petition with the Supreme Court on Thursday, requesting permission to appeal the PHC short order under Article 185(3) of the Constitution.
In the appeal, the electoral body questioned as to whether considering the significance of the subject the high court was right in disposing of the petition through a brief order, without offering detailed reasons.
