Upcoming polls: Panel opposes sweeping powers for CEC

Special committee tables report on elections before Senate.

ISLAMABAD:

With just 10 days left for the National Assembly to complete its tenure, a special parliamentary panel on election matters tabled on Tuesday its report before the Senate incorporating most of the recommendations proposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

However, the panel refused to give election authorities unlimited administrative powers.

The commission had demanded legal powers to take disciplinary action on its own against any government functionary who obstructs the conduct of fair elections. The parliamentary committee declined to adopt the provision but agreed to give the ECP powers to refer the matter to the concerned department which would be bound to report back to the commission within seven days of receiving a reference.

The committee also declined the ECP’s proposal to extend the time period for scrutiny of nomination papers from seven to 30 days and recommended that it could be, instead, extended to 14 days.

The panel, instead of formulating a draft bill, has compiled its report in the form of recommendations which need to be drafted as a bill.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2013.