Changes made to elections laws cannot undo judgment on reserved seats: SC

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday again clarified that amendments to the Election Act could not invalidate the apex court’s decision regarding reserved seats, Aaj News reported.

“Since the commission and PTI both have asked for a second clarification, we want to simply clarify and reiterate the well-settled exposition of law that the effect of the amendment made in the Elections Act cannot undo our judgment with retrospective effect.

“The amendments made in the Elections Act after the release of our short order will have no bearing and the commission is bound to implement the judgment passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its letter and spirit, without seeking any further clarification,” the apex court said on Friday.

The court had earlier issued a clarification before releasing its detailed reasons for the July 12 verdict.

Reserved seats: SC ruling now unworkable, NA Speaker tells ECP

On July 12, the SC declared former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party eligible for seats reserved for women and minorities.

The 13-member SC bench annulled the Peshawar High Court’s previous order as unconstitutional. The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) had demanded that 77 seats for women and minorities, which were originally allotted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition be reallocated to the PTI-backed party.

On Friday, the SC emphasised that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was bound to implement the court’s decision without requiring further clarification.