Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court issued notices on Thursday to the PTI, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Election Commission of Pakistan, and federal and provincial governments in response to a petition challenging the ECP’s authority to revoke election symbols and deny reserved seats to political parties.
The petitioner, lawyer Amna Ameer Abdullah, argued before the court that the ECP lacks the jurisdiction to interpret the Constitution or statutory provisions, which is legally unsustainable.
The petition emphasized that the ECP is neither a court of law nor a judicial tribunal and that such interpretative powers are not granted to the ECP under the Constitution or relevant laws.
It was asserted in the petition that the ECP’s actions are legally and factually malicious, driven by ulterior motives.
The petition highlighted that the discriminatory nature of these actions is evident since no similar scrutiny or investigation has been conducted against other political parties.
Additionally, it was stated that the ECP has overstepped its authority by reallocating seats intended for PTI candidates or its allies to other political parties, contradicting Constitutional provisions under Articles 51 and 106.
The next hearing for this case has been postponed until May 31.
