PTI calls for ECP’s resignation after reserved seats verdict

ISLAMABAD: Following the rejection of Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) plea seeking allocation of reserved seats, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar has demanded the resignation of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported on Monday.

Speaking on floor of Senate, the PTI Senator also sought proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja under Article 6 (treason) of the Constitution and said PTI had prepared a resolution in this regard and would be presented soon.

“They [ECP] cannot stay in this position for a minute longer,” he said, adding that the election commission had once again violated the Constitution through this verdict.

During the Senate session today, Ali Zafar said that termed the ECP’s verdict on SIC reserved seats “the last dagger in the heart of democracy”.

“If our share is being given to other parties then this is a constitutional mistake that the ECP has committed,” he said, claiming that today’s verdict had proven that ECP failed to fulfil its responsibility of holding free and fair elections.

He pointed out that the presidential and Senate elections could not be conducted in an “incomplete house”. “Until the national and provincial assemblies are complete, elections can’t be held for these constitutional positions.

Ali Zafar further said that they had asked the electoral watchdog to announce the verdict before prime minister’s election while terming the latter ‘an unconstitutional move’. “We have decided to challenge the ECP decision,” he announced.

The ECP ruled that PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) was not eligible for the reserved seats allotted to women and minorities. A five-member bench — headed by CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja — announced the split decision with a 4-1 majority.

In the verdict, the ECP said the SIC is not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats due to having “non curable legal defects and violation of a mandatory provision of submission of party list for reserved seats which is the requirement of law”.

“The seats in the National Assembly shall not remain vacant and will be allotted by proportional representation process of political parties on the basis of seats won by political parties,” the order said.