PTI no more eligible for reserved seats after Constitutional Bench ruling

ISLAMABAD: The Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court on Friday approved the review petitions filed in the reserved seats case with a seven-five majority, as it restored the Peshawar High Court verdict.

It means a great blow to the PTI, as the part is no more eligible for the reserved seats in any of the legislature. Instead, the ruling PML-N and the PPP will now increase their strength in the National Assembly as well as the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The development comes as the Constitutional Bench nullified the Supreme Court’s July 12, 2024 verdict through a short order, as the detailed judgment would be announced later.

Earlier in the evening, the judges completed the hearing of the reserved seats case, after which Justice Aminuddin Khan remarked that a short order would be issued soon.

It were the review petitions filed by the PML-N, PPP and ECP, which the Constitutional Bench heard.

WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND

The controversary had erupted on July 12, 2024, when 13-member Supreme Court bench with a majority of 8 ruled that 39 out of a total 80 MNAs were from the PTI. Accordingly, it was ordered that the reserved seats in National Assembly as well as provincial legislatures should ne allocated to the PTI.

However, the judgment triggered a strong response given the fact that those affiliated with the PTI had contested the 2024 general elections as independents. Later, they had joined under the umbrella of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Earlier on Thursday, the Constitutional Bench had rejected the PTI’s counsels’ request to adjourn the hearing of the reserved seats case till August.

Originally, the Supreme Court Constitutional Bench comprised 13 justices and started hearing the matter on May 6. However, two of them – Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi – declared the petitions as inadmissible. They were not part of the subsequent proceedings, as they recused themselves from the case.

Meanwhile, the July 12, 2024 orders had raised many eyebrows, with the judges opposing the majority judgment expressing serious reservations in their dissenting notes. It had led to issuance of two explanations by the majority judges.

Read more: Chief Justice seeks clarification on reserved seats case procedures