Election Commission Under Scrutiny: Feb 8 Polls Declared Unfair

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has released its detailed decision regarding the specific seats of Tehreek-e-Insaf, and it’s a game-changer. The 70-page judgment, authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, declares that the Election Commission’s decision on March 1, 2024, is against the constitution ¹. This means that the Election Commission’s move to allocate seats without considering Tehreek-e-Insaf’s candidates has been overturned.

Key Takeaways:

• Election Commission’s Failure: The Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission failed to conduct fair and transparent elections on February 8, 2024.
• Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Rights: The court recognized Tehreek-e-Insaf as a political party and asserted that the Constitution guarantees the right to form a political party and the right of people to join it.
• Invalidation of Article 94: The Supreme Court invalidated Article 94 of the Election Rules for allotting specific seats, stating that the Election Commission has no authority to code list any registered political party.
• Justice Candidates: The Election Commission was ordered to take signed statements from the remaining 41 MNAs within 15 days and notify the justice candidates.

The judgment also addressed concerns about the conduct of Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, stating that their dissenting notes were unbecoming of Supreme Court judges ¹. Overall, this decision is a significant development in Pakistan’s electoral landscape, emphasizing the importance of transparent elections and the protection of voters’ rights.