ECP reserves verdict on SIC’s plea seeking allotment of reserved seats

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved the verdict in a case on the allocation of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on Wednesday.

The ECP has put on hold the notifications on all the 10 reserved seats for women in the National Assembly from KP and 21 out of a total of 26 reserved seats for women in the KP Assembly, stating that “the decision is “pending before the commission” on the issue of PTI candidates joining the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

During today’s hearing, PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar Khan presented their arguments before the electoral watchdog. Zafar contended that the Constitution clearly stated that independent MNAs could join any political party.

“The Constitution mentions a political party, not a parliamentary party,” he argued, adding that not allocating reserved seats to the SIC would affect the elections of Senate, prime minister, president, NA speaker and deputy speaker alike.

Meanwhile, the ECP noted that it was important to submit the list of candidates for reserved seats before the elections, which the SIC had not done.