The Supreme Court has ruled that the party is eligible for the allocation of reserved seats, overturning a previous decision by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This is a big legal victory for the PTI.
The Supreme Court’s 8-5 majority verdict nullified the PHC’s order that upheld the ECP’s decision to deny these seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a group of PTI-backed independent candidates.
The case was filed in the Supreme Court, as the issue began after over 80 PTI-backed independents won in the February 8 elections and joined the SIC to claim seats reserved for minorities and women. The ECP, however, denied their claim, citing the party’s failure to submit a required list of candidates, a decision the PHC later upheld.
The Supreme Court’s ruling now reverses these decisions, allowing the SIC to claim the reserved seats.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah led the announcement, and a 13-member bench reviewed the case. The court heard arguments from the federal government and the ECP, who opposed the SIC’s plea, arguing that the party did not meet the requirements, including contesting the elections and submitting a list of candidates.
The Supreme Court’s decision significantly impacts the composition of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. Previously, the PHC’s verdict had allowed the ruling coalition, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), to secure a two-thirds majority.
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With the Supreme Court’s ruling, this majority is now affected, as the PTI-backed SIC can now claim the reserved seats they were initially denied.
Pakistan has been actively preparing for the Champions Trophy, with significant investments to upgrade stadiums and infrastructure. This court victory ensures that the PTI retains a robust presence in the legislative assemblies, potentially influencing future political dynamics and decisions.