ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan is set to hold a meeting to hold consultation on a petition filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) to get reserved seats in National Assembly after PTI-backed candidates joined it under a political alliance after elections.
Reports said a total of 86 PTI-backed members elect have joined the SIC in order to protect their party’s reserved seats in the lower house of the parliament.
In elections 2024, 101 independent candidates emerged victorious in NA constituencies. The electoral watchdog has issued notifications for victories of 96 candidates while remaining are yet to be issued.
A day earlier, SIC submitted an application to the ECP, seeking allocation of the reserved seats for women and minorities under set percentage. It requested the top election body to consider the independents, who are joining the party, as SIC members.
There are total 70 reserved seats in the National Assembly and these are allocated to the parties under a certain percentage of seats.
ECP is expected to take a decision about giving or not the reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council today (Feb 22).
If the ECP takes a decision in its favour, SIC will get reserve seats under 4:5 ratio. The other political parties will get the reserved seats with 3 ratio if a decision is taken against SIC.
The electoral watchdog is expected to release initial party positions today.
It is recalled that on Monday PTI had announced to join hands with the SIC and the Majlis-e-Waddatul Muslimeen (MWM) to protect its reserved seats.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/22-Feb-2024/pti-to-hold-intra-party-elections-on-feb-3
