The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has approached the Supreme Court again, seeking clarification on how to allocate reserved seats to the PTI. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled that PTI is entitled to the seats, while also criticizing the ECP for failing to conduct free and fair elections on February 8.
The ECP’s new Civil Miscellaneous Application (CMA) asks whether it should follow the Supreme Court’s July 12 ruling or the recently passed Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2024. The amendment, passed by parliament on August 6, directly conflicts with the court’s decision regarding seat allocation.
Read more: Supreme Court Verdict Upholds PTI’s Parliamentary Status in Reserved Seats Case
The Supreme Court had ruled in favor of PTI, but parliament’s amendment now restricts independent candidates from switching parties after elections, complicating the ECP’s ability to allocate the reserved seats without violating the new law. This puts the ECP in a difficult position, caught between adhering to the court’s ruling and respecting parliament’s authority.
In its CMA, the ECP requested guidance on how to proceed, fearing contempt of court if it does not comply with the judiciary, while also being mindful of potentially breaching parliamentary sovereignty. The ECP highlighted that when it initially sought clarification, the election law had not yet been amended.
