The ECP added that it asked the independent candidates to join the SIC after the elections. The ECP decided not to give reserved seats to the SIC with a 4-1 verdict the reply added.
The ECP told the SC that the Peshawar High Court PHC also upheld its decision. The election watchdog maintained that there is no error in the decision of the ECP as well as the PHC.
According to the constitution of the SIC, a non-Muslim cannot become a member of the party. The provision against the inclusion of non-Muslims in the constitution of SIC is an unconstitutional answer. The SIC is not entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities the ECP reply added
On May 6 Supreme Court suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan ECP and Peshawar High Court PHC verdict on Sunni Ittehad Council SIC reserved seats.
The three-member bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah suspended the verdict of the allocation of reserved seats to other political parties.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that the case has been fixed for hearing and “we are suspending the ECP and PHC verdicts.
Reserved Seats
The election commission distributed the reserved seats for women and minorities among other political parties.
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly – according to a notification, the ECP allocated one reserved seat each to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Pakistan Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
In Sindh Assembly – allocated reserved seats for women to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and PPP. PPP’s Samita Afzal and MQM-P’s Fouzia Hameed were elected on reserved seats.
Furthermore, PPP’s Sadhu Mal alias Surinder Valasai secured a minority seat in the Sindh Assembly
The ECP allocated three reserved seats for minorities to PML-N, PPP, and JUI-F – which were claimed by the Sunni Ittehad Council. PML-N’s Neelam Meghwar, PPP’s Ramesh Kumar, and JUI-F’s James Iqbal were elected on the minority seats