"Peshawar High Court Upholds ECP Decision: Sunni Ittehad Council Denied Reserved Seats"

 The Peshawar High Court Reserves Verdict on Sunni Ittehad Council's Plea for Reserved Seats

In a recent development, the Peshawar High Court has reserved its verdict on the Sunni Ittehad Council's petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan's decision to reject the party's allocation of reserved women and minority seats. The court heard arguments from the SIC's counsel, Ali Zafar, who emphasized the party's right to reserved seats under Article 104 of the Elections Act.

Zafar argued that the SIC, despite not contesting the elections, should still be entitled to reserved seats as a political party with the right to participate in elections. He highlighted the confusion in differentiating between a parliamentary party and a political party, asserting that the SIC's status as a political party should be upheld.

The court raised questions about the SIC's lack of general seat wins in the elections and the implications of joining independent candidates. Zafar defended the SIC's position, stating that the party's right to reserved seats should not be denied based on the number of general seats won.

The counsel contended that allocating other political parties a greater number of seats than they had won would leave the Parliament incomplete. He urged the court to interpret the Constitution in a manner that prevents a vacuum in representation.

Zafar proposed that the ECP could issue another schedule for submitting candidates for reserved seats to avoid violating any laws. He reiterated that the SIC was only seeking its rightful allocation of reserved seats, no more and no less.

Following the completion of arguments, the Peshawar High Court reserved its verdict on the matter and announced that it would be revealed at 1 pm. The court's decision will have significant implications for the allocation of reserved seats and the political landscape in the region.