The Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled on Saturday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) can take away election symbols from political parties.
The court released an 18-page verdict dismissing a petition against the ECP’s authority to reclaim election symbols. According to the court, Section 215 of the Election Act 2017, which grants this power to the ECP, does not violate the Constitution.
The court stated that this section aligns with various articles in the Constitution, empowering the ECP further. The judgment clarified that the petitioner argued the ECP’s authority to withdraw election symbols was unconstitutional, but the court deemed the petition not maintainable.
It also emphasized that political parties must follow the provisions of the act and the Constitution. Additionally, the court explained that Sections 209 and 2010 of the Election Act 2017 relate to intra-party polls. The petition was filed by citizen Mian Shabbir Ismail in the Lahore High Court.
