NA Speaker urges ECP to allot reserve seat as per amended Election Act

Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to allocate reserve seats in accordance with the amended Election Commission Act.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, the speaker informed that the allocation of reserve seats could not be changed after the amendments in the Elections Act.

The letter stated that as the Election Act was effective prior to the Supreme Court's order, and the apex court's decision could not be implemented.

Furthermore, the letter mentioned that independent candidates who win elections and join any political party would not be allowed to change the party.

The amended act has been in effect since 2017, and it is the constitutional and legal responsibility of the ECP to enforce the law, the letter added.

Sadiq emphasised that the ECP is bound to follow the laws made by the parliament and the rules of democracy.

The letter has also been sent to the Election Commissioners and other members. 

On July 12, a thirteen-member larger bench of the SC declared in its ruling that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is a registered political party in the country and is eligible for reserve seats.