ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was on Tuesday requested to take notice of alleged violation by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari of the country’s election law since he is member of two registered political parties.

Advocate Shah Mohammad Zaman moved the apex court after his similar petition was rejected by the Sindh High Court’s Larkana circuit branch.

The petition filed in the apex court pointed out that Mr Bhutto-Zardari is chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party whose electoral symbol is ‘sword’, but contesting the Feb 8 general elections as a candidate of the PPP-Parliamentarians with the allotted symbol of ‘arrow’.

The petition highlighted that Mr Bhutto-Zardari is contesting the elections from three constituencies of the National Assembly — NA-127 Lahore, NA-194 Larkana-I, and NA-196 Qambar, Sindh.

The petition argued that Section 205 of the Elections Act 2017 clearly put a bar on such a practice by suggesting suspension of membership in accordance with the procedure provided in the constitution of the political party.

Till date, it contended, neither the membership of Mr Bhutto-Zardari has been suspended nor did he resign as chairman of the PPP, but is contesting the election as a candidate of the PPP-Parliamentarians, which is a clear violation of Section 203 of the Elections Act.

The petitioner said he filed the petition for the allotment of election symbol of ‘arrow’ allotted to the PPPP.

Previously, Mr Bhutto-Zardari also contested the election in 2018 with the election symbol of ‘arrow’ allotted to the PPPP when he was chairman of the PPP with the allotted symbol of ‘sword’ and was elected as member of the National Assembly from the Larkana constituency.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024

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