Reserved Seats Case: SC Majority Judges Warns ECP Of ‘severe Repercussions’ Over Failure To Implement Verdict

In clarification, SC judges reiterate that any failure to comply with ruling could result in severe repercussions

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 14th, 2024) The Supreme Court’s eight-member bench issued a clarification on Saturday regarding applications filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as majority of the judges emphasized that their ruling from July 12 contained no ambiguity.

The judges came down hard upon the ECP by holding that it is unnecessarily complicating the matter.

In their clarification, the judges reiterated that any failure to comply with the ruling could result in severe repercussions.

The ruling recognized Barrister Gohar as PTI’s Chairman and Omar Ayub as the party’s Secretary General. The court also confirmed that the victorious candidates were PTI members.

The clarification rejected efforts to create confusion or misinterpret the decision. The bench further warned that any failure to issue a candidate list, an administrative task, could have significant legal consequences.

The ECP was urged to carry out its duties and was reminded that it had acknowledged PTI as a registered political entity. The court deemed it incorrect for the ECP to dismiss PTI’s candidate certification.

The judges underscored that any actions by the ECP contrary to this could lead to constitutional and legal challenges, affecting both the national and provincial assemblies. The court ordered the ECP to implement the verdict and affirmed that depriving a political party of its electoral symbol does not invalidate its rights.

The clarification said that PTI remains a political party that secured seats in the elections, and any attempt by the ECP to seek further clarification would only obstruct the implementation of the court’s ruling.

The majority judges included Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah, Ayesha A. Malik, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Hasan Rizvi, Shahid Waheed, and Irfan Saadat in the reserved seats case.