ISLAMABAD: The PTI filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court on Monday against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to implement the court’s July 12 order regarding reserved seats.
On July 12, a 13-judge full bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the opposition PTI was entitled to reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in both national and provincial assemblies. This decision significantly impacted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition and positioned the PTI as a potential majority party in Parliament.
The Supreme Court also recognized the PTI as a parliamentary party, noting that 39 of the 80 MNAs listed by the ECP as PTI candidates were indeed affiliated with the party. The remaining 41 independents must submit properly signed and notarized statements within 15 days, clarifying their political affiliations during the February 8 elections.
Despite various developments and warnings from the apex court, the ECP has yet to implement the ruling.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja submitted the petition, naming the chief election commissioner and provincial election commissioners as respondents. He asserted that the court’s ruling, along with two subsequent clarifications, clearly established the PTI’s entitlement to the reserved seats.
Raja emphasized that the ECP’s inaction on the ruling amounted to a deliberate failure to comply, making the chief election commissioner and the four ECP members subject to contempt proceedings.
He requested the initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the ECP and urged it to adhere to the July 12 decision.
In a related development, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stated he would not comply with the court’s order regarding the reserved seats, indicating he would wait for the ECP to provide guidance before taking any action.
“It is the Election Commission’s responsibility to notify members,” he said, adding that while he would acknowledge court orders, he would defer action until the ECP issued a notification.
Furthermore, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa remarked last week that the ruling’s implementation was not obligatory, as appeals against it remained unresolved.
“Since the appeals were not finally decided, there was no binding decision under Article 189 of the Constitution, nor could contempt proceedings be initiated under Article 204 for non-compliance with the court’s order,” he stated.
