ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday rejected the application of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) for reserved seats for women and minorities in the National Assembly.
The SIC, a party backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), sought these seats through an application that stirred controversy and led to a prolonged deliberation by the electoral body.
A five-member bench, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, reached a 4-1 verdict, declaring that the Sunni Ittehad Council is not entitled to reserved seats in the National Assembly.
The ECP maintained that these seats would be distributed among other political parties based on their proportional representation. The commission emphasised that reserved seats in the assemblies cannot be left vacant.
However, it’s worth noting that ECP Punjab member Babar Hassan Bharwana dissented from the majority decision, expressing disagreement with the allocation of reserved seats to other political parties.
Also read: SIC’s reserved seats plea left hanging by ECP
The controversy surrounding the allocation of reserved seats for the SIC intensified after a ‘merger’ with the PTI for this specific purpose. The ECP faced criticism for delaying a verdict, leaving the matter unresolved as the National Assembly convened its maiden sitting last week.
The PTI had previously announced its intention to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court if the reserved seats were allocated to other parties.
The controversy took another turn last week when the ECP revealed that SIC Chairman Hamid Raza had allegedly written a letter refusing to accept the reserved seats. Raza vehemently denied this claim, adding a layer of confusion and intrigue to an already complex situation.
The rejection of the SIC’s application by the ECP has added fuel to the ongoing debate about the impartiality and transparency of the electoral process in the country.
