SIC not entitled to reserved seats: Justice Jamal Mandokhel

Islamabad: During the review case of the reserved seats decision in the Supreme Court, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel remarked that the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is not entitled to reserved seats.

A constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan is directly hearing the review case of the reserved seats decision, and the petitioner’s lawyer, Makhdoom Ali Khan, is giving arguments.

During the hearing, Justice Mussarat Hilali raised the question of how the SIC claimed reserved seats. How can it get reserved seats? Independent candidates can join a party that enters parliament, but how can independent people join a political party that is not in parliament?

To which lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan took the stand that, according to the SIC, independent candidates had joined them.

Justice Mussarat Hilali asked whether the SIC participated in the elections. To which the lawyer replied that it did not participate in the elections, the party chairman himself contested the elections as an independent.

Justice Mandokhel remarked that the SIC is not entitled to reserved seats. It could have formed a parliamentary party, but it is not entitled to reserved seats.

Justice Musarat Hilali said that the independent members had to join the winning party.

Lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan argued that the appeal of the Sunni Ittehad Council was unanimously rejected. The members elected on reserved seats were de-notified, while the members were not given notice before de-notification.