ECP Requests Supreme Court to Suspend Reserved Seats Decision

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has approached the Supreme Court, seeking a stay on the review concerning the allocation of reserved seats for political parties.

In a recent filing, the ECP urged the court to maintain the status quo until a definitive ruling is made. They expressed concern that the court’s interpretation might inadvertently alter constitutional provisions rather than clarify them. The Commission pointed out that the Supreme Court’s earlier decision limited the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to 41 members, diverging from directives issued on July 12.

The ECP also highlighted the implications of the court’s ruling on the timelines for independent members wishing to join political parties. According to their stance, independent members had a mere three days to affiliate, a claim supported by their submitted affidavits in favor of the Sunni Ittehad Council, which the court did not adequately consider.

Furthermore, the ECP asserted that even if the certificates presented by Barrister Gohar were accepted, the PTI’s membership would still not amount to 39. It noted a failure by candidates to submit declarations of party affiliation as required under Section 66, as outlined in Rule 94 concerning parties with electoral symbols.

The Commission criticized the PTI for presenting documentation only to the judges privately rather than in an open court setting. It concluded that the party has no grounds for seeking relief regarding reserved seats since it did not assert its rights through the appropriate legal channels. The ECP emphasized that, according to the full court’s ruling, relief cannot be granted to those who do not make a formal claim.