Major political shift after supreme court verdict, 74 reserved seats restored

Islamabad (Web Desk): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday reinstated 74 reserved seats in the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies, reversing its earlier decision to de-notify candidates elected on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tickets through its alliance with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

This move comes after the Supreme Court’s June 27 ruling that overturned a 2024 judgment allowing PTI-SIC to claim reserved seats. The 10-member constitutional bench, by a majority of seven judges, nullified PTI’s entitlement to these seats and directed their reallocation to other parties, bolstering the ruling coalition’s parliamentary strength.

The verdict is expected to weaken PTI’s presence in parliament and raise questions about the stability of its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI and SIC have announced plans to challenge the decision.