ECP suspends extra reserved seats in NA, four provincial assemblies

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday suspended all extra reserved seats distributed to different political parties in the National Assembly (NA) as well as in four provincial assemblies of the country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As per the ECP’s notification, the membership of three members of the National Assembly (MNAs) reaching the assembly on minority seats was suspended.

Similarly, the membership of 21 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (MPAs) was also suspended.

Last Monday, the Supreme Court (SC) had suspended the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order in which it had upheld the ECP’s decision of denying reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in the National as well as in the provincial assemblies.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and including Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, took up an SIC appeal against the PHC’s order.

On March 14, the PHC had rejected petitions filed by the SIC, seeking reserved seats for women and minorities.

In March, a five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, had rejected the SIC’s petition seeking the allocation of reserved seats.

The ECP announced the verdict with a 4-1 majority, saying the SIC was not entitled to reserved seats.

In its decision, the electoral body said the SIC is not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats due to having “non-curable legal defects and violation of a mandatory provision of submission of party list for reserved seats which is the requirement of the law”.

“The seats in the National Assembly shall not remain vacant and will be allotted by proportional representation process of political parties based on seats won by political parties,” the order said.

Reporter: Usman Khan