SIC petition for reserved seats in assemblies rejected

ECP 4:1 verdict says SIC is not entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has rejected the request of PTI filed under the banner of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) for reserved seats in the assemblies.

The ECP had earlier reserved its judgement on the plea which it announced today, rejecting the request for the reserved seats.

Under the constitution, political parties are allocated one reserved seat against three general seats it wins in an election. The reserved seats are given to women and minorities in provincial and national assemblies.

The ECP in a 4:1 decision ruled that SIC was not entitled to the quota of reserved seats of women and minorities. The ECP member from Punjab dissented to the decision, however.

The ECP maintained that SIC was not being allotted the 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 law”.

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

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