ECP Declines Reserved Seats for PTI-Backed SIC: Supreme Court to Decide

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) claim on reserved seats for women and minorities. The move aligns with the constitutional rule prohibiting non-Muslims from party membership. The Supreme Court will decide SIC's appeal on the matter.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially denied the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), access to reserved seats for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies.

According to the ECP, the SIC failed to submit its list of nominees for the reserved seats by the stipulated deadline of December 24. Additionally, the party's constitution does not permit non-Muslim membership, a rule deemed unconstitutional by the ECP. As a result, the SIC's request for reserved seats has been deemed invalid.

The SIC, which gained strength post-elections by attracting independent candidates backed by PTI, has challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. The final verdict, expected on Monday, could affect 77 reserved seats but is not anticipated to alter the current power dynamics in Pakistan's legislative assemblies.

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