ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to implement the Supreme Court order to allot reserved seats to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In a major legal victory for the PTI and a setback for the rulers, the Supreme Court ruled on July 12 that the PTI was and is a political party that won general seats in the national and provincial assemblies in the February 8 elections. entitlement to reserved seats.
The court by a majority of 8 votes set aside the March 25 judgment of the Peshawar High Court and declared the March 1 order of the ECP ultra vires the Constitution, without statutory authority and without legal effect.
In a statement, the ECP said the decision was taken after the election body met twice on Thursday and Friday to discuss the verdict on the reserved seats case.
The statement further said that the ECP’s legal team has been instructed to immediately “identify” any obstacle in the implementation of the judgment so that the apex court can be approached for advice.
“Furthermore, the commission has strongly condemned and rejected the undue criticism of the Chief Election Commissioner and honorable members by the political party,” the ECP said without naming the party founded by Imran Khan.
“To demand resignation [of the CEC and members] is ridiculous,” he added, referring to the demand made by the PTI after its legal victory in the Supreme Court.
The commission further stated that it worked in accordance with the constitution and laws without being subjected to any kind of coercion.
Besides, the ECP said that 39 candidates who were declared as PTI MNAs have proved their affiliation with the fighting party in their nomination papers, where party ticket and declaration to the Returning Officer (RO) is required for candidature of any party.
But in the case of the said MNAs, these documents were not submitted to the RO; therefore, the ROs could not declare them as PTI candidates, he added.
Meanwhile, 41 candidates who were declared as independents did not mention PTI in their nomination papers, did not reveal their party affiliation or submit any party’s ticket.
“Therefore, the ROs allowed them to contest the elections as independents. Later, these MNAs voluntarily joined the Sunni Etihad Council (SIC) within three days as required by law after winning the elections,” the statement said.
The party appealed the decision of the Election Commission and PHC to the Supreme Court, but it was rejected.
He further added that PTI was not the petitioner in the proceedings against the ECP in the apex court or the PHC.
