ECP reserves verdict on distribution of reserved seats in KP

• PML-N, JUI-F demand greater share of reserved seats.
• PHC earlier nullified ECP’s previous seat allocation notification.
• KP opposition 20 seats short of simple majority.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved its verdict on pleas filed by PML-N, JUI-F and others on the allocation of reserved seats in the in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly.

A four-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from all parties.

During the hearing, lawyers from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and other parties appeared before the election body.

On July 8, the PHC nullified the ECP’s notification on the distribution of reserved seats for women and minorities in the KP Assembly. The court’s two-page judgment came on a petition filed by the PMLN challenging the allocation.

The court had directed the ECP to reallocate the seats after hearing all relevant parties within 10 days. The court also halted the oath-taking of lawmakers on these reserved seats until the ECP’s final decision.

Speaking to the media outside the ECP office in Islamabad, JUI-F leader and lawyer Kamran Murtaza said that all political parties presented their arguments before the commission during today's hearing.

He said that PML-N demanded to get a greater share of reserved seats, particularly following the inclusion of independent candidate Tariq Awan into their ranks.

“If independent candidates join a party after the legally defined period, the number of reserved seats allocated to that party would not increase,” said Murtaza while explaining the seat distribution formula.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the opposition alliance is closing in on a simple majority as it is now just 20 seats away from tipping the balance of power in the provincial assembly following the reserved seats verdict.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government currently holds 92 seats, while the opposition’s numbers have risen to 53.

The KP Assembly has a total strength of 145, but at the moment, there are 115 elected members. Of the remaining 30, 26 seats are reserved for women and four for minorities.

Earlier, on July 2, the ECP had restored 74 out of 77 reserved seats, including 19 National Assembly members, 27 Punjab Assembly members, 25 KP Assembly members, and 3 Sindh Assembly members. 

This move followed the Supreme Court’s June 27 verdict, where a constitutional bench accepted review petitions on reserved seats by a majority decision.