On Monday, the Supreme Court resumed its hearing of a petition filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which has become a new platform for PTI-backed candidates. The petition challenges the denial of reserved seats in assemblies for women and minorities.
A full court of 13 justices, including Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Aminuddin Khan, Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha Malik, Athar Minallah, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Shahid Waheed, Irfan Saadat Khan, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan, is hearing the case. The proceedings are being broadcast live on the Supreme Court’s website and YouTube channel.
The SIC petition follows a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in March, which ruled that the SIC was not entitled to claim a quota for reserved seats due to legal defects and violation of mandatory provisions. This decision benefited the PML-N and PPP with 16 and 5 additional seats, respectively, while JUI-F received 4 seats. The ruling was rejected by the PTI as unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court’s suspension of the PHC verdict in May led to the suspension of victory notifications for 77 lawmakers, causing the ruling coalition to lose its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. The case, taken up on June 3, saw discussions on whether independent candidates should have been allowed to join other political parties.
Judges have scrutinized the ECP’s decisions and a prior Supreme Court verdict that denied the PTI its electoral symbol, leading to errors in the ECP’s subsequent actions. The Chief Justice has defended the previous verdict, despite criticism from Justice Akhtar.
As the hearing continues, the focus remains on the legal arguments surrounding the entitlement to reserved seats and the ECP’s compliance with mandatory provisions. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the composition of the National Assembly and the balance of power among political parties in Pakistan.