Clarification on reserved seats: SC deputy registrar says he didn’t receive the order on time

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Registrar Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan made startling revelation about eight judges clarification on reserved seats for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) returned candidates.

In a note to SC Registrar, the Deputy Registrar (J) wrote that eight-judge clarification was uploaded on the Supreme Court website on September 14, but he did not receive it till 8 pm that day.

“I bring it to your kind notice that a news is floating on the media that Supreme Court has issued clarification of order dated 12-07-2024 passed in C.A. No. 333/2024 (Election – National Assembly/ Reserved Seats)”, said the note.

“However, the neither the cause list was issued, nor notices were issued to the parties by the office and the order has still not received in office till 08:00 p.m. and was uploaded on the website,” it added.

The sources said; “This issue may lead to further scrutiny of the procedural handling of the case.”

The eight-judge clarification, uploaded on SC’s website on Saturday (14-09-24) censured the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over confusing its July 12 order on reserved seats, and warned of consequences if not implemented forthwith.

The eight-judges on July 12, 24 through short order declared that the persons, who contested general elections on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tickets were and are of that political party and thus members of the parliamentary party of PTI in the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, for all constitutional and legal purposes.

The clarification said; “The attempt by the Commission to confuse and cloud what is otherwise absolutely clear as a matter of the Constitution and the law must therefore be strongly deprecated. The list required to be issued by the Commission in terms of paragraph 8 (read with paragraph 10) of the Short Order is nothing more than a ministerial act, for the information and convenience of all concerned, and has no substantive effect.”

It warned; “The continued failure of, and refusal by, the Commission to perform this legally binding obligation may, have consequences. This obligation must be discharged forthwith.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024