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In a major legal victory for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Pakistani Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the party is eligible for the allocation of reserved seats.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah announced the verdict which nullified the Peshawar High Court's order that upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision denying the reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). The verdict won 8-5 majority. The PTI candidates did not contest the polls on a single symbol, forcing them to join hands with the SIC, but that could not get the party the reserved seats as the ECP ruled against them. The court declared that the lack or denial of an election symbol does not affect the Constitutional or legal rights of a political party to participate in an election, whether general or by, and to field candidates and that the commission must apply all provisions accordingly. Some jurists noted during the proceedings that the apex court had not ruled that the PTI could not participate in the general elections as a political party, and that the commission had misinterpreted the top court's verdict. "PTI was and is a political party, which secured general seats in the national and provincial assemblies in the general elections of 2024," read the verdict. According to the verdict, the PHC's judgment dated March 25 is set aside. "The order of the ECP dated March 1 is declared to be ultra vires to the Constitution, without lawful authority, and of no legal effect," it said. The top court remarked that PTI, as a political party, has a legal and constitutional right to reserved seats. The reserved seats issue first emerged after over 80 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidates emerged victorious in the February 8 elections and subsequently joined the SIC in a bid to claim seats reserved for minorities and women. (ANI)
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