The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has swiftly begun implementing the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on reserved seats, reversing a previous ruling and restoring a decisive two-thirds majority to the ruling coalition in the National Assembly. The Supreme Court’s written order was received by the ECP, and its legal team has initiated a detailed review of the judgment. Sources suggest a formal notification for the reallocation of reserved seats could be issued as early as tomorrow.
This development comes after the Supreme Court’s 13-member larger bench accepted all civil review petitions related to the allocation of reserved seats. The Court declared the controversial July 12, 2024, verdict null and void, reinstating the earlier decision of the Peshawar High Court. As a result, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — and by extension the PTI — lost its claim to all reserved seats, significantly altering the parliamentary balance.
The judgment has effectively disqualified the PTI from 22 reserved seats in the National Assembly and 55 in the provincial assemblies. Simultaneously, the membership of 77 lawmakers has been restored. This shift has immediate political consequences, granting the ruling coalition the power to pass constitutional amendments and advance delayed legislation.
In the Punjab Assembly, 27 reserved seats for women and minorities have been reinstated. Of these, PML-N has gained 21 women’s seats and two minority seats. One seat each has been allocated to the PPP, PML-Q, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
In Sindh, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has gained two seats, while MQM-P has secured one. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 25 reserved seats have been reallocated. PML-N and JUI-F have each secured seven women’s seats, while the remaining seats have been distributed among the PPP, ANP, and PTI Parliamentarians. For the minority seats, two each have gone to PML-N and JUI-F.
At the national level, PML-N has gained 15 reserved seats, PPP has secured four, and JUI-F has received three. As a result, PML-N’s total strength in the National Assembly has risen to 125, PPP’s to 74, and JUI-F’s to 11. Collectively, the ruling coalition now holds 233 seats in the 336-member house — comfortably above the two-thirds threshold.
The ECP is expected to issue its official notification in the coming days. This will not only formalize the reallocation of reserved seats but also pave the way for long-delayed Senate elections, setting the stage for a consolidated period of governance for the ruling alliance.
