The Supreme Court’s comprehensive judgment regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and its performance during the 2024 General Elections went gaga on Monday. Calling it a “chargesheet” against the ECP, Barrister Rida Hosain pointed out a failure to exercise constitutional responsibilities. The 70-page judgment issued by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah claims that PTI is eligible for the reserved seats, criticizing ECP for its failure to play a neutral overseer’s role during the February 8 elections.
The judgment marked the questionable maneuvering by ECP, which accepted intra-party election certificates but then rejected one of PTI’s candidates and then militated against PTI and its electorate through multiple “unlawful acts”. Of-course legal pundits harked upon the same tangential reasoning running through the judgment but totally ignored as they cried for immediate implementation of directives from the court.
Barrister Abdul Moiz Jaferii described the verdict as well-reasoned articulation, calling that the illegality of ECP needs to be corrected. He says the majority court here underscored that justice is required for PTI and the ECP has also been reminded to focus on electoral fairness.
Barrister Asad Rahim Khan demanded on-the-spot execution of the judgment, saying that the ECP should wake up to its legal duties and not disenfranchise in any manner. He said the key findings of the court related to proportional representation and the overall integrity of the election process, where the democratic spirit was safeguarded.
Lawyer Yasser Hamdani said he felt the judgment was sterner on the role of the ECP and that the commission must be a watchdog of fair electoral processes rather than being a party to the disputes. “This is a foundational step in ensuring electoral justice in the constitutional framework of Pakistan,” he said.
As the ECP faces the pressure to abide by this ruling of the court, experts say this case will help reshape the relationship of the electoral body and political parties with public confidence restored in the democratic process.
