KARACHI: Rejecting a request by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah to extend the deadline to appoint a new chief election commissioner, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Shah and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fill the post by November 13, Express News reported.
The Supreme Court on October 14 gave the federal government two weeks to appoint a permanent CEC, or else it will withdraw its judge, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who is currently serving as acting CEC.
Justice (retd) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim, who was appointed as the 13th CEC, had resigned on July 30, 2013 – a day after the presidential polls for which opposition parties accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of failing to ensure impartiality.
Shah had filed a plea a few days ago, seeking an extension to the deadline by three months. However, the apex court today rejected the request and told Aitzaz Ahsan - who is representing Shah in the court - to appoint new CEC in next two weeks.
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@Sajid we shouldn't be so negative. PMLN and PPP are delaying the CEC appointment in the interest of PTI. As the law stands now, they do not need to take input from PTI for this appointment. BUT they want the appointment to be done with consensus and are therefore waiting for recommendations from the election reforms committee which PTI is a part of.
PPP and PML N were in power for mote than 5 years yet they did not organize local bodies elections.It's unfair to blame PTI for this delay.PTI goverment wrote a letter to VEX for holding their elections in November but EC said that they can not hold election before March next year.
What a pity that in a country with population of over 190 Million,we cannot find 3 persons who are trusted by all.political parties.
Please don't blame PTI was not organizing the election in KPK.EC is responsible for this delay.
yes and PTI has been able to hold LB polls within 90 days, also we have naya KPK as soon as we cross Attock bridge.
PMLN and PPP, asking for 3 more months means Corruption, and nothing else.
Remember, for the last many years, they could not hold LB elections.