ECP notifies 39 MNAs as PTI lawmakers after Supreme Court’s order

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday notified 39 members of the National Assembly (MNAs) as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers.

The move comes after the Apex Court’s July 12 decision in which it nullified the ECP and the Peshawar High Court’s ruling to deprive Sunni Ittehad Council – the home of PTI-backed independents – of reserved seats and handing it over to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led ruling coalition.

The 8-5 majority short verdict ruled that 39 out of the 80 MNAs, shown by the ECP as independent candidates, belonged to the party.

The remaining 41 independents would have to file duly signed and notarised statements before the commission within 15 days, explaining that they contested the February 8 general elections as a candidate of a particular political party.

Following the verdict, the electoral watchdog decided to implement the SC’s decision.

“The instructions have been issued to the legal team of the election commission that if there is any obstacle in the implementation of the decision of the Supreme Court, then they should immediately identify it so that the Supreme Court can be referred for further guidance,” it had said in a press release on July 19.

The statement further said that the election body had not misinterpreted the SC’s decision, nor had it declared the intra-party elections as valid. The ECP held that the PTI’s intra-party elections were not in accordance with the law, and therefore, the candidates who submitted their nomination papers without a party ticket and declaration could not be considered PTI candidates.

In line with the decision, the electoral watchdog notified 39 independents who had declared their affiliation with PTI when filing nominations.

“In pursuance of the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, dated July 12, 2024, the following returned candidates against general seats of the National Assembly are declared to have been returned as candidates of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),” the notification read.