Policy of extensions: Electoral body hobbled by years of ad-hocism

Shortage of competent bureaucracy may cost ECP heavily

ISLAMABAD:

Running the responsible affairs through ad-hocism and policy of giving extensions have left the country’s top electoral body with hardly any qualified officials who could be posted for key technical posts falling vacant.

After a political wrangling of 16 months, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) got a chief election commissioner. However, new commissioner and the ECP are in a fix now – how to fill the offices of provincial election commissioners in three provinces – a sensitive post of grade 21 officer that requires highly skilled bureaucrats having expertise in election matters.

The post of top bureaucrat and secretary ECP are already lying vacant since November 7 this year.

Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab retired on December 18. The commissioners in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Sindh are scheduled to retire on December 31 and in February next year, respectively. Interestingly, these three provinces are due to hold local government elections due since 2009.



As Mehboob Anwar, Punjab election commissioner, retired after availing his extension period this month, ECP was left with no choice but to give acting charge to a grade 20 officer.  Zafar Iqbal has been made joint provincial commissioner with acting charge of Punjab election commissioner.

Working as director general local government at the ECP headquarters, he was among those officials at the ECP who had relevant experience for the post. However, under the rules a grade 21 officer qualifies for sensitive post of provincial election chief.

Sunu Khan Baloch the incumbent provincial election commissioner K-P has already availed four extensions. His extended tenure will be expiring later this month. Similarly, SM Qadri provincial election commissioner Sindh will be retiring after two month in February.

The policy of extensions to certain bureaucrats pursued over the years not only hampered the promotions of lower cadre but many experienced officials retired before the ECP could utilise their experience.

This has left ECP bureaucracy without spine of support where there is shortage of grade 20 and 21 officers who could run the vital affairs of the commission. The chief election commissioner and the four members of the commission have to rely on these top bureaucrats for running the commission.

In the absence of a secretary ECP, the commission has given another junior officer Usman Ali the charge of acting secretary. He was taken from Balochistan government on deputation as DG admin in the ECP.

The senior-most bureaucrat at ECP, DG elections Sher Afgan will be returning next month after completing the required course for a promotion. He is a potential candidate for the office of secretary if promoted to next grade.

However, due to technical nature of the post of DG elections, it will be another dilemma for ECP to fill the vacancy in case Afgan is promoted as secretary.

ECP had written to the prime minister to nominate three grade 22 officers so that the commission can choose one from the list as secretary. The response from PM’s House is still awaited.

According to ECP insiders, there are certain posts in ECP like secretary, DG elections, four provincial election commissioners, DG admin, DG budget and others which need special expertise on election matters.

It will be the first test of administrative skills of the newly appointed chief election commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza how to overcome the issue for smooth running of ECP which he would be heading for next five years.

He would have to make a smart choice where to utilise the current cadres within the commission and hire services of bureaucrats from other government departments at the right posts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2014.