ISLAMABAD, The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will convene an important meeting today (Monday) following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that overturned its earlier decision on the allocation of reserved seats. The meeting, chaired by the chief election commissioner, will include all ECP members and its legal team to strategise the implementation of the court’s order.
Sources say that the main focus will be restoring the Peshawar High Court’s judgment, which had earlier denied reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)—a party formed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed candidates. The ECP is also expected to issue fresh notifications of candidates’ victories after the meeting.
The development follows the Supreme Court’s ruling which dismissed SIC’s appeal, thereby reversing the top court’s July 12, 2024 decision that had initially allowed PTI-aligned independents to claim reserved seats under the SIC banner.
The Supreme Court’s 10-member constitutional bench, with a 7-1 majority, set aside the July 12 verdict and reinstated the PHC’s earlier judgment. This legal shift has allowed the ruling coalition—led by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)—to consolidate a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, significantly reshaping the political balance in parliament.
ECP has defended its actions amidst criticism, calling the claims “baseless propaganda” aimed at undermining its constitutional authority. It insists that its previous decision was grounded in legal principles, and has expressed readiness to comply with the latest judicial order.
The Supreme Court’s short order, signed by seven judges, emphasized that all civil review petitions had been accepted, nullifying the July 12 ruling. The dismissed appeals of the SIC have also led to the reinstatement of the PHC decision.
The legal and political landscape is likely to witness further developments as ECP implements the court directives and updates the composition of legislative bodies accordingly.
