In a significant political setback, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is not eligible for reserved seats in national and provincial assemblies. The decision, delivered by a 7-5 majority, comes after the court accepted multiple review petitions and overturned its previous July 2024 ruling that had favored PTI.
Majority Verdict Favors Review Petitioners
Justice Aminuddin Khan led the 10-member constitutional bench, which restored the Peshawar High Court’s earlier decision. The judgment stated that PTI-backed independents who joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) after the February 2024 polls could not claim reserved seats due to procedural lapses. Justices Hilali, Afghan, Hassan, Kakar, Farooq, and Najafi concurred with the majority opinion.
Justice Mandokhail and others issued separate opinions, emphasizing the unresolved factual questions and directing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to scrutinize the nomination papers of all 80 SIC-linked lawmakers.
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Background: Reserved Seats Dispute
The issue arose after PTI-backed independents joined SIC in a bid to secure women and minority reserved seats. However, the ECP rejected the request, citing the absence of a candidate list — a constitutional requirement. The SIC challenged this in the PHC, which sided with the ECP, only for that verdict to be suspended temporarily by the Supreme Court earlier this year.
Impact on Parliamentary Composition
This latest ruling reshapes the National Assembly. Without reserved seats, SIC — largely formed by PTI independents — loses substantial representation. The decision strengthens the ruling coalition’s numbers, especially for parties like PML-N, PPP, and JUI-F, which gained additional seats due to SIC’s disqualification.
Legal and Political Implications
The judgment reinforces the requirement for strict adherence to election procedures, including filing candidate lists before deadlines. It also reflects the judiciary’s growing role in electoral disputes amid heightened political polarization. With the verdict now final, PTI’s path back to legislative influence faces a significant obstacle.
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