ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday moved the apex court against the Election Act Amendment Bill.
The decision was taken a day after the government passed the Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 to deny the PTI reserved seats after the Supreme Court verdict.
PTI chief Barrister Gohar Ali Khan approached the Supreme Court through Salman Akram Raja while making the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan respondents in the application.
The application said the PTI had submitted its candidates’ list to the ECP and it must be given the reserved seats in line with the SC July 12 verdict.
SENATE, NA PASSES ELECTION ACT AMENDMENT BILL
The Senate passed the Election Act Amendment Bill by a majority vote despite protest by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Aug 6.
As the session started with Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair, Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Talal Chaudhry presented the Election Act Amendment Bill. The opposition members stood on their seats and started protest.
The amendment provides that “a candidate who does not submit the party certificate before obtaining the election symbol will be considered an independent candidate. If the list of candidates for reserved seats is not submitted within the specified period, no political party will be entitled to those seats.”
It also provides that any candidate's declaration of affiliation to a political party will be irrevocable.
GOVT STANCE
Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar questioned the Supreme Court’s verdict on reserved seats, saying how a party could have reserved seats without having representation in parliament.
At a press conference in Islamabad, he cleared the air on the Election Amendment Bill, saying it was approved with a majority vote from both houses of parliament, that is, National Assembly and Senate.
He insisted that a rule mandating a party member to join a new party within three days had been made law now. He argued that how could a candidate change his party after submitting an affidavit.
“Parliament is a superior institution having jurisdiction of legislation. It has converted a rule into a law,” Tarar asserted.
He reiterated that a party could get reserved seats only on the basis of its representation in parliament according to the constitution.
He argued that the Sunni Ittehad Council chairman didn’t contest the party election and he didn't have representation in parliament, so how the party could have reserved seats.