Supreme Court Questions SIC’s Claim to Reserved Seats

The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench has expressed doubts regarding the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) entitlement to reserved seats. The court raised concerns about the legality of independent candidates joining a political entity that lacks parliamentary representation.

During a publicly broadcast session concerning reserved seats, Justice Ameenuddin Khan presided over an 11-member constitutional bench. The central debate revolved around the SIC’s eligibility to claim reserved seats following the inclusion of independent members.

The court stated that while it is permissible for independents to align with a party already seated in Parliament, it appears constitutionally questionable for them to associate with a party absent from the electoral process.

Justice Musarrat Hilali inquired, “How can independent candidates become part of a party that isn’t represented in Parliament?” She further asked, “Did the Sunni Ittehad Council even participate in the elections?”

The bench persistently questioned how the SIC could assert its claim to reserved seats, considering its non-participation in the 2024 general elections and its resulting absence from Parliament.

Makhdoom Ali Khan, representing the de-notified women MNAs, stated that the SIC’s request had been rejected and the elected members on reserved seats were de-notified without prior notification.

Justice Hilali reminded that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification had previously been declared void. She emphasized, “This case is about proportional representation. Reserved seats are assigned based on a party’s performance in the elections.”

Khan argued that the prior Supreme Court ruling omitted any reference to Article 225 of the Constitution, which restricts challenges to electoral matters outside designated election tribunals.

The bench questioned the relevance of Article 225 in a matter concerning proportional representation, rather than a direct election.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail stated clearly during the session that the Sunni Ittehad Council does not qualify for reserved seats.

The hearing has been adjourned until Tuesday, with the court instructing the SIC’s legal representative to present their arguments in the subsequent session.

This is a developing story and further details will be provided as they become available.