Supreme Court Declares PTI Eligible for Reserved Seats in Detailed Verdict
ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a detailed verdict, confirming that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) remains eligible for reserved seats. The 70-page judgment, written by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, came after recent concerns raised by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. He had questioned the implementation of the Supreme Court’s July 12 short order following amendments to the Election Act 2017.
The Supreme Court clarified that the lack of an electoral symbol, such as PTI’s revoked “bat” symbol, does not impact a party’s right to contest elections. The court emphasized that under the Constitution, political parties retain the right to field candidates regardless of symbols.
PTI’s Reserved Seats Reinstated
In its judgment, the court explicitly directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reinstate PTI’s reserved seats. According to the court, PTI remains a valid political party that had secured seats in both national and provincial legislatures. The earlier decision by the ECP, which denied PTI its reserved seats, was deemed unconstitutional.
The March 1 decision by the ECP, which shifted reserved seats to other political parties, was described as inconsistent with the principle of proportional representation. The court ruled that the ECP’s decision held no legal standing.
For more updates on this case, check out Ground Zero’s Legal Section.
Criticism of ECP’s Conduct
The judgment also criticized the ECP for failing to maintain its impartial role during the legal proceedings. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stated that the ECP should act as a guarantor institution, ensuring free and fair elections. Instead, the ECP acted as a primary contesting party in the case against PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
The Supreme Court reminded the ECP of its constitutional duty to safeguard the democratic process, stressing that it must operate with transparency and fairness to maintain public trust.
For an in-depth review of Pakistan’s electoral process, see Al Jazeera’s Political Analysis.
Key Takeaways:
•The Supreme Court has confirmed PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats, overturning the ECP’s March 1 decision.
•The court stressed that political parties retain the constitutional right to field candidates, regardless of their electoral symbols.
•The ECP was criticized for failing to act impartially and for not fulfilling its role as a guarantor of democratic processes.
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