SIC’s reserved seats allocated to other parties: PHC suspends ECP decision

PESHAWAR: After suspending the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding handing over of Sunni Ittehad Council’s reserved seats to other political parties, Peshawar High Court (PHC) has barred Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq from administering oaths of offices from newly-appointed MNAs.

Peshawar High Court’s Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Shakeel Ahmed announced a short verdict on a petition filed against the Election Commission’s decision on Sunni Ittehad Council’s reserved seats.

The PHC ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to submit reply by tomorrow and questioned whether the PHC can be approached for this case or not. The court also issued notices to the Attorney General of Pakistan and Advocate General for judicial assistance and sent the case to the Chief Justice Peshawar High Court for the formation of a larger bench.

It is pertinent to mention that ECP had rejected the request of the Sunni Ittehad Council for reserved seats and stated that the Sunni Ittehad Council does not deserve the quota of seats reserved for women and minorities. Due to the decision of the Election Commission, the Sunni Ittehad Council lost 77 seats in the National and Provincial Assembly, against which the Sunni Ittehad Council approached the court.