Federal Constitutional Court Rejects JUI-F Appeal, Upholds ECP Decision on Reserved Seat
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) over a disputed reserved seat, upholding the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to notify Sadaf Ehsan as the party’s candidate.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court upheld the Election Commission’s decision and dismissed JUI-F’s appeal.
During the hearing, JUI-F’s counsel, Senator Kamran Murtaza, argued that his party had submitted a list of four candidates to the Election Commission for reserved seats and that the commission had no legal authority to independently alter the list submitted by a political party.
Describing the case as unique in Pakistan’s electoral history, Kamran Murtaza told the court that JUI-F had consistently maintained that Sadaf Ehsan was not its nominated candidate for the reserved seat.
“JUI-F is saying that Sadaf Ehsan is not its candidate, but we are being told that she is indeed our party’s candidate,” he argued.
The party’s counsel further maintained that if there had been any deficiency or error in the list submitted by the political party, the Election Commission should have asked the party to rectify it rather than making unilateral decisions.
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وفاقی آئینی عدالت میں جے یو آئی (ف) کی درخواست خارج!
رکن قومی اسمبلی صدف احسان کے خلاف جے یو آئی (ف) اور حنا بی بی کی جانب سے دائر درخواستیں ناقابلِ سماعت قرار دے کر خارج کر دی گئیں۔
چیف جسٹس امین الدین خان کی سربراہی میں دو رکنی بینچ نے فیصلہ سنایا۔ کیس ہارنے والے جے یو آئی (ف) کے سینئر وکیل سینیٹر کامران مرتضیٰ تھے
— Ahmed Mansoor (@AhmedMansorReal) November 5, 2026
However, after considering the arguments presented by both sides, the court announced its decision to dismiss the appeal and maintain the ECP’s ruling.
Background of the Reserved Seat Dispute
Following the general elections, legal and constitutional disputes emerged between the Election Commission and several political parties over the allocation of reserved seats.
Political parties had raised objections regarding the commission’s authority to select and make changes to candidates’ names in the submitted priority lists.
JUI-F had also challenged the ECP’s decision to notify Sadaf Ehsan against a reserved seat, maintaining that her name was not included in the party’s priority list.
The latest ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court has upheld the Election Commission’s decision in the matter.
