ECP meeting summoned to 'discuss reserved seats verdict'

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been summoned to discuss reserved seats verdict by the Supreme Court (SC), ARY News reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

A 13-member bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, ruled that the PTI is eligible for the allocation of reserved seats, dealing a major setback to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah announced the 8-5 majority verdict, setting aside the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order wherein it had upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision denying the reserved seats to the SIC.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Naeem Afghan, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Ameenuddin Khan opposed the majority decision.

The meeting will be held on July 18 to discuss the options to implement the SC’s verdict in SIC reserved seats. Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan and legal wing officials will brief the commission.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring PTI eligible for reserved seats.

The PML-N filed a review petition in the apex court, urging the top court to withdraw its July 12 order.

In its peal, the PML-N argued that the PTI was not even a party in the case as it was Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) which approached the Supreme Court.

The PML-N plea stated that SC’s order to award reserved seats to PTI on SIC plea is tantamount to violation of law.

The PML-N in its petition has made the SIC and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as respondents.