Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that Imran Khan’s party is eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities, overturning Peshawar High Court verdict. This 8-5 majority decision restores 77 seats to PTI in the National and provincial assemblies, bolstering its strength in parliament and posing a significant challenge to the ruling coalition of PML-N and PPP.
The dispute started in December 2023 when ECP declared PTI unlawful and removed its cricket bat symbol. PTI candidates then ran as independents in the February elections and emerged as the largest party. Despite this, the ECP deprived PTI of 77 reserved seats, reallocating them to other parties. PTI initially lost its appeal in the Peshawar High Court but won the case in the Supreme Court under the SIC banner.
Timeline of Reserved Seats Case
February 21
The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) initially applied to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allocation of reserved seats.
February 27
PML-N, PPP, and MQM also requested to be included as parties in the case.
March 4
ECP ruled that the SIC was not entitled to the reserved seats and reallocated those seats to other parties. This decision was contested by one election commission member who disagreed with the redistribution.
March 6
In response, the SIC approached the Peshawar High Court to overturn the ECP’s ruling.
March 14
Peshawar High Court, with a five-member large bench, unanimously upheld the ECP’s decision and dismissed the SIC’s petitions.
April 2
Sunni Ittehad Council filed a petition in the Supreme Court.
May 6
The case was initially heard by a three-member bench led by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. The Supreme Court suspended the ECP’s decision regarding the allocation of additional seats to other parties and referred the matter to a larger bench due to its constitutional significance.
May 31
A full court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, was constituted to hear the case.
June 3
The full court began hearing the SIC’s petitions.
July 9
After extensive deliberations, the court reserved its judgment.
