LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition, filed by former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi for allotment of the ‘peacock’ electoral symbol.
Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan announced the verdict on the petition, which was reserved after hearing of concluding arguments of the parties, on Tuesday.
In the course of final arguments, the petitioner’s counsel argued that his client was contesting election from provincial assembly constituency PP-32. He submitted that an application was filed for allotment of a peacock electoral symbol, but the returning officer refused to accept the application and allotted a donkey cart electoral symbol to his client. He pleaded with the court to issue directions for allotment of peacock electoral symbol.
However, the counsel for the Election Commission argued that the commission had notified that the electoral symbols, which would not be changed. He submitted that the ballot papers had been printed and it was not possible to print them again.
If the symbols were changed, then the election would not be possible in such constituencies on February 8, he added. He further submitted that the petitioner might have approached the returning officer with a delay for change of symbol.