SC rules in favor of PTI in reserved seat case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has overruled Peshawar High Court verdict on the denial of reserved seats to Sunni Ittehad Council/PTI by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

In its judgement on an appeal against the PHC verdict, the 13-member  court ordered the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakthunkhwa to the PTI.

The court ruled that the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan dated March 1, 2024, not to give reserved seats to the PTI was ultra vires and of no legal effect, prompting the leaders of the embattled party of Imran Khan to ask the chief election commissioner to step down.

“Withdrawal of election symbol cannot disqualify a political party from elections. The PTI was and is a political party,” the court order stated. It said the SIC cannot claim the reserved seats in assemblies and parliament. The PTI is entitled to the reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.

The verdict was given by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Irfan Saadat, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

About four months back, the Election Commission had rejected the request of PTI filed under the banner of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) for reserved seats in the assemblies.

This decision was later challenged in Peshawar High Court which dismissed the appeal. The PTI-backed SIC then moved the Supreme Court against the verdict.