Title: SC suspends PHC verdict denying PTI-SIC reserved seats
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The Supreme Court suspended on Monday the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order allocating reserved seats to other parties after their propositional representations.
A three-judge bench, led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, granted leave to appeal and adjourned the matter until June 3.
During the hearing earlier today. Justice Shah summoned the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) and an ECP representative to conduct the proceedings of the reserved seats case.
As the hearing commenced, Justice Shah observed that the basic principle of democracy and the Constitution is the people's mandate, which should be reflected in the parliament.
"A majority can't be negated on technical grounds," the court added.
The bench also inquired whether the Constitution or the election act stipulated that reserved seats would be reallocated to parties such as the PML-N, PPPP, etc.
"If a political party is unable to get an election symbol, its voters would be disenfranchised," observed Justice Athar Minallah.
Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Amir Rehman argued that the matter required "constitutional interpretation" and alleged that a larger bench be allocated for adjudication.
Read SIC’s reserved seats plea left hanging by ECP
However, he was informed that the hearing is at the "leave granting stage".
The bench further noted that after the initial hearing, the matter regarding the requirement of a larger bench will be considered.
Meanwhile, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), comprising PTI-backed lawmakers, challenged on April 1 the Peshawar High Court (PHC)'s March 14 order that deprived the party of reserved seats.
The PHC through its verdict had dashed the PTI's hopes of getting reserved seats as it dismissed the SIC’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling that denied reserved seats to the party.
On March 4, the ECP accepted applications of the opposing parties and decided that the seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies would not remain vacant and would be allocated by a proportional representation process of political parties based on seats won by political parties.
Published Date: 06-May-2024
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