ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been granted reserved seats by the Supreme Court, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has chosen to carry out this decision.
The Supreme Court declared on July 12 that the PTI was and is a political party that gained general seats in the national and provincial assemblies in the elections held on February 8 and is therefore entitled to reserved seats, marking a significant legal success for the PTI and a blow for the ruling class.
By a vote of eight to one, the court overturned the March 25 ruling of the Peshawar High Court and ruled that the ECP decision from March 1 was unconstitutional, lacked legal standing, and had no legal significance.The whole bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, issued the 8–5 majority ruling, overturning the PHC’s order that had affirmed the ECP’s decision to deny the PTI-backed SIC the reserved seats.
The ECP said in a statement that the decision was made following two meetings conducted by the electoral body on Thursday and Friday to discuss the ruling in the reserved seats issue.
The statement went on to say that the ECP’s legal team has been instructed to “identify” any roadblock to the verdict’s execution right away so that the highest court can be consulted for advice.
“Moreover, the commission strongly condemned and rejected the undue criticism of the chief election commissioner and honourable members by a political party,” the ECP’s stated without identifying the party.”Demanding the resignation [of CEC and members] is ridiculous,” it continued, alluding to the PTI’s demand following the PTI’s Supreme Court victory.
The panel went on to say that it did not give in to pressure of any kind and operated in accordance with the laws and the Constitution.
