In an important ruling regarding the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities, Supreme Court Justice Yahya Afridi highlighted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party did not raise concerns over the issue during proceedings before the court. His additional note came as part of a case concerning the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) responsibility to allocate these seats fairly.
Justice Afridi ordered the ECP to issue a directive within seven days to ensure that reserved seats are allotted to deserving political parties after hearing all affected parties. He emphasized that any candidate who represented a political party and submitted the requisite documentation must be recognized as the official representative of that party.
In his ruling, Justice Afridi dismissed civil appeals filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and its chairman, stating that they failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary for the allocation of reserved seats. The judge pointed out that the PTI had actively participated in the electoral process but chose not to challenge the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities during the hearings.
Despite the extensive hearings that took place between June 3 and July 12, 2024, Justice Afridi noted that the PTI’s involvement was limited to a late application for intervention, which lacked a clear request for the allotment of reserved seats. This silence on the issue raised questions about the party’s position regarding the matter during the court proceedings.
