ECP set to file review plea on SC’s landmark verdict on reserved seats

ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to submit a review petition against the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats in favour of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

According to sources, the election commission will file the review petition today (Wednesday).

Last month, a 13-member full court bench chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa issued a decision on the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) appeal about reserved seats.

Justices Aminuddin Khan and Naeem Afghan dissented from the majority decision.

The Supreme Court overturned the findings of the Peshawar High Court and the Election Commission, ordering that the PTI be granted the reserved seats.

ECP’S EARLIER STANCE

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) resolved to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates.

The decision was made following a series of discussions chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The ECP chief advised its legal team to consider the urgency to act on the Supreme Court’s ruling.

A LANDMARK VERDICT.

Going against the grain of its prior decisions on the PTI in the run-up to the February 8 election, the Supreme Court overruled the Peshawar High Court’s order to deprive the PTI of reserved seats for non-Muslim and female candidates in assemblies.

In a majority 8-5 judgment, the Supreme Court ruled that the electoral Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) handling of reserved seats was ‘unconstitutional’, adding that the PTI will continue to exist as a political party even if not awarded an electoral symbol.

The ruling was written by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

Justices Athar Minallah, Mansoor Ali Shah, Muneeb Akhtar, Ayesha Malik, Irfan Saadat, Shahid Waheed, Hassan Azhar Rizvi, and Ali Mazhar ruled in favour of the PTI.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Naeem Afghan, and Justice Aminuddin Khan all sided against the PTI.

Moreover, Justice Yahya Afridi wrote a dissenting note.