ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday once again approached the Supreme Court with a plea regarding reserved seats, asking whether to implement the Election Act or follow the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Election Commission sought clarification from the Supreme Court regarding amendments to the act related to reserved seats, the Supreme Court’s brief decision, clarifications from eight judges, and the detailed ruling.
The Election Commission is seeking guidance on whether to prioritize the Election Amendment Act approved by the National Assembly or the court’s decision.
In the petition, the Election Commission noted that the Speaker of the National Assembly wrote to them stating that amendments were made to the Election Act following the court’s ruling. Members de-notified by the Election Commission also approached them for the implementation of the amendment law. The Election Commission had already implemented the court’s decision for up to 39 members, and the amendment act retroactively applied to reserved seats.
The Election Commission stated that the court’s decisions clearly indicated that the wisdom of Parliament could not be questioned, and failing to implement the amendment act in light of judicial rulings would raise questions.
Previously, the ECP had approached the SC seeking clarification on its ruling.
The Supreme Court had earlier held the ECP responsible for not implementing its ruling on the PTI’s reserved seats. The court in its explanation had also warned of consequences in case of non-implementation of the verdict.
