PML-N files review petition challenging SC verdict on reserved seats

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court’s recent decision that allowed the allocation of seats reserved for women and minorities to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In the petition, 11 parties including the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and its chief Hamid Raza and the Election Commission of Pakistan have been made the party. The petition has sought a stay against the implementation of the Supreme Court’s July 12 verdict.

In the petition, the PML-N has argued that the Supreme Court’s decision is silent on several critical issues including whether the Sunni Ittehad Council is entitled to reserved seats. The petition also questioned that if a party (SIC) that did not submit its own list of candidates should be eligible for reserved seats.

The petition further challenged the decision by asking whether an independent candidate can join a party that has no winning candidates in the assembly.

Additionally, the petition has sought clarity on whether vacant seats should remain unfilled or be distributed among the parties that participated in the elections.

According to the petition, the Supreme Court addressed numerous points during the hearing but did not provide detailed explanations in its short judgment on several important issues.

This review petition follows the Supreme Court’s short verdict, which overturned the Election Commission of Pakistan and Peshawar High Court’s decisions, ordering that the reserved seats be allocated to the PTI.

The outcome of this review petition could have significant implications for the allocation of reserved seats and election laws in the future.