ECP members’ appointment challenged in IHC
According to sources, govt is mulling over other options due to deadlock with the election body
Islamabad High Court. PHOTO COURTESY: IHC WEBSITE
ISLAMABAD:
The appointment of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members for Sindh and Balochistan has been challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC) that has been requested to hold the implementation of notification issued by Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs.
According to sources, the government was now mulling over other options for the appointment of new members due to deadlock with the ECP.
The plea filed by counsel Jahangir Khan Jadoon stated that the appointment of two new ECP members was in contravention with the constitution and implored the court to nullify the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs August 22 notification.
The President of Pakistan, prime minister, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, ECP and new members have been made respondents in the request.
On the other side, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) had refused to take oath from the two new members nominated by the government.
The CEC in its letter to Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs had termed the process of appointing the members unconstitutional.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sought recommendation from the Ministry of Law after which, the matter will be presented before the prime minister.
Earlier on Friday, CEC Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan had refused to administer oath to two members notified by the government a day earlier, maintaining that the appointments were made in violation of the constitution.
The election commissioner had informed the parliamentary affairs ministry about his decision.
In his letter to the ministry, the CEC wrote that the new members were not appointed in accordance with Articles 213 and 214 of the constitution.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati expressed his disappointment over the election commissioner’s move, saying that the ECP was one of the country’s most important institutions and it was necessary to fill the vacant slots.
“The government notified the appointment of the two ECP members in line with procedure laid out in the constitution,” he maintained.
“We are sure that there will not be any crisis and the process of appointing the ECP members will be completed soon,” he added.
Criticising the move, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Senator Raza Rabbani said the government had unilaterally appointed its own recommended candidates in violation of the constitution.
The parliamentary affairs ministry notified the appointment of Khalid Mehmood Siddiqui and Munir Ahmed Kakar as ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan respectively after President Arif Alvi’s approval.
The appointments came seven months after Abdul Ghaffar Soomro and Justice (retd) Shakeel Baloch — the ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan — retired in January this year. Under the law, their successors should have been appointed within 45 days of their retirement.
The appointment of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members for Sindh and Balochistan has been challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC) that has been requested to hold the implementation of notification issued by Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs.
According to sources, the government was now mulling over other options for the appointment of new members due to deadlock with the ECP.
The plea filed by counsel Jahangir Khan Jadoon stated that the appointment of two new ECP members was in contravention with the constitution and implored the court to nullify the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs August 22 notification.
The President of Pakistan, prime minister, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, ECP and new members have been made respondents in the request.
On the other side, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) had refused to take oath from the two new members nominated by the government.
The CEC in its letter to Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs had termed the process of appointing the members unconstitutional.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sought recommendation from the Ministry of Law after which, the matter will be presented before the prime minister.
Earlier on Friday, CEC Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan had refused to administer oath to two members notified by the government a day earlier, maintaining that the appointments were made in violation of the constitution.
The election commissioner had informed the parliamentary affairs ministry about his decision.
In his letter to the ministry, the CEC wrote that the new members were not appointed in accordance with Articles 213 and 214 of the constitution.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati expressed his disappointment over the election commissioner’s move, saying that the ECP was one of the country’s most important institutions and it was necessary to fill the vacant slots.
“The government notified the appointment of the two ECP members in line with procedure laid out in the constitution,” he maintained.
“We are sure that there will not be any crisis and the process of appointing the ECP members will be completed soon,” he added.
Criticising the move, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Senator Raza Rabbani said the government had unilaterally appointed its own recommended candidates in violation of the constitution.
The parliamentary affairs ministry notified the appointment of Khalid Mehmood Siddiqui and Munir Ahmed Kakar as ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan respectively after President Arif Alvi’s approval.
The appointments came seven months after Abdul Ghaffar Soomro and Justice (retd) Shakeel Baloch — the ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan — retired in January this year. Under the law, their successors should have been appointed within 45 days of their retirement.