LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday constituted a larger bench to examine the restoration of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral symbol, the bat, and the constitutional validity of Section 215 of the Elections Act 2017.
A LHC three-member bench will be headed by Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, with Justice Malik Waqar Haider Awan and Justice Malik Javed Iqbal Wains as its other members.
The larger bench has been formed to hear a petition challenging the constitutional status of Section 215 of the Elections Act 2017, which the petitioner claims is inconsistent with Article 17 of the Constitution.
The petition argues that depriving a political party of its electoral symbol can seriously undermine its political identity, participation in elections and fundamental democratic rights.
It maintains that Article 17 guarantees citizens the fundamental right to form political parties and become their members, making it necessary to assess the constitutionality of legal provisions that may restrict or undermine these protections.
According to the petitioner, the loss of an electoral symbol is not merely an administrative or procedural matter, as it can directly affect a political party’s ability to contest elections and maintain its political representation.
The plea calls for a constitutional examination of the restrictions imposed under Section 215, particularly in light of the fundamental rights guaranteed to political parties and their members under the Constitution.
The legal challenge also brings into focus the relationship between electoral regulations and constitutional protections, raising questions about the extent to which Parliament can impose conditions that may affect a political party’s electoral participation.
The case was originally scheduled for hearing on November 12, 2026. However, the formation of the larger bench will allow the court to examine the legal and constitutional questions raised in the petition.
The bench is expected to consider the petitioner’s arguments regarding the validity of the contested provision and its implications for PTI’s electoral rights, including the party’s demand for the restoration of its bat symbol.
