Transfer of an official: ECP summons chief secretary for defying orders

Says Balochistan govt failed to withdraw transfer orders of Ziarat DC

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday issued a notice to Balochistan’s chief secretary, ordering him to appear before it on February 13 for flouting its ban on postings and transfers at a provincial assembly constituency.

The ECP on February 3 issued the schedule for by-elections at the Balochistan Assembly’s PB-7 Ziarat constituency to fill the seat fallen vacant following the death of an MPA.

Under the law, all transfers and postings are banned once the schedule for elections is announced. In the case of by-elections, the ban covers the relevant constituency only.

However, on February 7 the Balochistan government transferred Ziarat’s deputy commissioner in violation of the ECP’s orders.

After notifying an election schedule, the ECP also sends another notification to the federal and provincial governments with directives not to make any postings and transfers.

The relevant authorities have to obtain prior permission from the election authorities in case a posting or transfer is necessary.

“The provincial election commissioner approached the chief secretary for withdrawal of transfer orders of the deputy commissioner, Ziarat, but orders of withdrawal of transfer have not been issued, so far, which prime facie shows willful disobedience of the ECP’s directives,” read the ECP notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2017.