Gilani names nominees for chief election commission

Nominees include Justice (retd) Muneer Sheikh, Justice (retd) Ameerul Mulk Mengal, Justice (retd) Zahid Qurban Alvi.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has named three people as nominees for the post of chief election commissioner (CEC), Express News reported on Monday.

The names include Justice (retd) Muneer A Sheikh, Justice (retd) Ameerul Mulk Mengal and Justice (retd) Zahid Qurban Alvi.

After previous CEC Hamid Ali Mirza retired in March, Justice Shakirullah Jan was made the acting CEC by Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The government had vowed that the new chief election commissioner would be appointed through a proper constitutional procedure, and the leader of the opposition would be consulted in all important issues.

ECP cannot take decision till SC’s detailed order comes: Acting CEC

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) cannot take any decision unless the detailed order of the Supreme Court is passed in the prime minister contempt case, said Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Shakirullah Jan on Monday.

“We have held a meeting of the Election Commission to consider the short order. In the meeting we decided to wait for the detailed order,” Jan said while speaking to the media.

“We will take a decision after that, considering the Constitution and the court’s judgment,” he added.

After convicting Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the contempt of court case, the Supreme Court passed the authority to Speaker of National Assembly and Election Commission of Pakistan to decide whether Gilani should be disqualified from his post or not.

Several political parties have called for Gilani to step down, and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz has also announced of holding a long march across the country to pressurise Gilani.