ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a case with the Supreme Court regarding the reserved seats issue linked to a letter from the National Assembly Speaker.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had been asked to clarify the speaker’s stance before the court, with the PTI requesting a declaration that an amendment to the Election Act does not apply to the order issued on July 12. They also sought an injunction to prevent the ECP from distributing reserved seats to other parties.
In a letter dated Thursday, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stated that the Supreme Court’s verdict concerning reserved seats cannot be implemented due to the recent constitutional amendment. He emphasized that the Election Act is now effective, having received presidential approval following the Supreme Court’s ruling on August 7.
Sadiq further explained that lawmakers’ party affiliations cannot be altered, and he insisted that the reserved seats should reflect the independence of Parliament. He urged the ECP to adhere to the law enacted by Parliament, reinforcing the need for the supremacy of democratic processes and the constitutional duty of the ECP to respect parliamentary legislation.
