Chief Justice Upholds Election Commission Independence Amid Reserved Seats Controversy

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has affirmed the Election Commission of Pakistan's independence amidst a legal battle over reserved seats. The Sunni Ittehad Council's appeals were overruled, with the court directing the commission to calculate reserved seat allocation based on the 2018 election results. The court emphasized institutional boundaries.

In a significant ruling, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa underscored the autonomy of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the face of a legal conflict concerning reserved seats. Addressing a full court hearing on appeals by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), the Chief Justice ruled that the ECP is not subordinate to the Supreme Court or the government, but an independent authority tasked with a constitutional role.

Chief Justice Isa pointed out that the Supreme Court could only intervene if the ECP overstepped its constitutional boundaries. The court instructed the ECP to apply a formula for allocating reserved seats among political parties, based on the 2018 election results, to get a clear picture of the seat distribution with and without the inclusion of independent candidates.

The ECP previously denied reserved seats to the SIC, supported by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), due to the party not allowing non-Muslims and failing to submit nominee lists on time. Chief Justice Isa emphasized that upholding the Constitution, meant for all citizens, is paramount, and the court should not act as an appellate body for the ECP.