Law minister reacts to SC’s detailed judgment in reserved seats case

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar while reacting to the Supreme Court’s (SC) detailed judgment in the reserved seats case said that the decision on the case was contrary to the government’s plea, ARY News reported.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, during a press conference, said that the review appeals have not yet become ineffective, and matters will continue according to the country’s laws. If there is no parliament, the president can issue ordinances and the Supreme Court itself has said that the Election Commission has the authority.

Despite the detailed decision, all our questions remain as they were, he said. All judges in the court are equal, and seniority does not dominate decisions. There were only two points in the hearing: whether the reserved seats should go to the Sunni Ittehad Council or not, who filed the case and what was requested.

The two judges who wrote dissenting notes were also strictly mentioned in the decision, said Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was neither a party in the Election Commission, Peshawar High Court, nor the Supreme Court.

According to the current laws, how these reserved seats are to be allocated is not in the decision, he highlighted. This is not a force, nor is it a chain of command; it is a court. Today’s decision has further strengthened the review petitions.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the process of an independent candidate joining any party is irreversible. An independent candidate has to join a party within three days of winning his seat.

The Law Minister said that the legislation of the parliament is above the decisions of the Supreme Court. The Peshawar High Court upheld the Election Commission’s decision with a 5-0 majority. There are several Supreme Court decisions on the constitutional article of complete justice. Decisions are based on the principle of who came seeking relief.