ECP allocates lantern symbol to ANP

Party fined and ordered to hold intra-party polls by May 10

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday allocated the Awami National Party (ANP) its traditional symbol, the lantern, for the upcoming elections. Simultaneously, a fine was imposed, and the ECP mandated intra-party elections to be conducted within the next four months, Express News reported.

Responding to the ANP's plea in the intra-party election case, the ECP opted to grant the lantern symbol to the Awami National Party, citing the finalised general election schedule. The ANP has been instructed to hold intra-party elections by May 10.

It's noteworthy that, as of now, the Awami National Party has not conducted the required intra-party elections, prompting the election commission to issue a notice to its chief Asfandyar Wali. Seeking additional time from the ECP, the ANP had requested further leniency.

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It's important to highlight that the election commission has not yet assigned an electoral symbol to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to unresolved issues related to intra-party elections.

Furthermore, 13 other political parties have been delisted for failing to conduct the mandated intra-party elections. Sections 208, 209, and 210 of the Election Act 2017 have been invoked in response to the non-compliance of political parties with the intra-party election requirements.