ECP takes up Salman Akram Raja’s petition today

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan will hear the writ petition of Salman Akram Raja, an independent candidate from NA-128, Lahore, on February 2, seeking approval to run as a candidate representing his political party.

According to the cause list issued by the election commission, a notice has already been issued to the petitioner, who wishes to participate in the upcoming general elections under the banner of a political party rather than as an independent candidate.

The senior lawyer is supported by the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf, which could not field candidates due to the denial of the ‘bat’ as its election symbol.

This denial followed the declaration of its intra-party polls by the Election Commission of Pakistan and subsequently by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Based on the results of intra-party elections, the election commission issues a certificate to a party, qualifying it for the allocation of an election symbol under the Elections Act 2017.

Earlier, a two-member bench of the Lahore High Court disposed of the petition from the contesting candidate.

The court directed the election commission to decide on his application against declaring him an independent candidate from NA-128.

Salman Akram’s lawyer argued that his client belonged to the PTI and intended to contest the elections as a candidate of the party after the returning officer accepted his nomination papers.

He contended that the ECP cannot prevent any party from participating in elections, emphasising that the PTI has been registered as a political party with the ECP since 1996.

He said that the PTI’s electoral symbol had been withdrawn for not conducting intra-party polls, but the party still exists.

He argued that the commission unlawfully declared the petitioner an independent candidate and urged the court to declare that the petitioner was a PTI candidate and not an independent one. Contrary to his arguments, the election commission’s lawyer contended that a party cannot contest elections without a symbol.

The LHC bench disposed of the petition, directing the petitioner to approach the ECP first and instructing the commission to decide the matter under the law.