Muddled future: Assembly move leaves ECP in a quandary
Under pressure from court, poll body ponders its next move.
ECP believed that it was not possible to hold credible polls on the given dates but the commission had issued the schedule under the court’s pressure. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued schedule for holding local government elections in Sindh and Punjab on the order of the Supreme Court, the lower house on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding delay in polls.
The text of the National Assembly resolution does not directly mention the role of the Supreme Court. However, the lawmakers in their speeches not only criticised the court but some leading parliamentarians also demanded to bring constitutional changes to limit the role of judiciary in political and electoral matters.
Interestingly, the assembly in its resolution also included call for postponement of polls in Balochistan, which had completed all homework for polls scheduled on December 7. Contrary to Sindh and Punjab provinces, which had to complete many legal and administrative formalities required to hold the polls, the ECP believed that Balochistan was well poised to go for local bodies’ elections.
This is a bewildering situation for the ECP, which is under strict instructions of apex court to hold polls on the given dates.
The ECP had earlier requested the court to give it more time. It had argued that given the huge task of making pre-requisite arrangements for the gigantic exercise, it was not possible to hold the LG polls on the dates committed by the provinces, i.e., December 7 for Balochistan and Punjab and November 27 for Sindh. The apex court had, however, rejected the plea and held its order.
The ECP on Wednesday notified schedule for Punjab and Sindh LG polls and asked the federal government to coordinate with the provincial governments and ensure printing of around 400 million ballot papers using all possible means that included involving government and private printing presses.
An official, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the ECP believed that it was not possible to hold credible polls on the given dates but the commission had issued the schedule under the court’s pressure.
He said the secretary establishment on Thursday informed the ECP that government could not provide millions of ballot papers, the commission had asked it to procure within the timeframe given in the schedule. The commission then asked him to give the government’s stance in writing. The secretary did so later.
“The ECP has written back to the secretary establishment to do it at any cost. It is court order,” another official of ECP said.
He said the ECP by writing back wanted to make sure that the executive did not escape like it did in the Supreme Court where the provincial government gave in writing the proposed dates for holding polls before they completed the legal requisites, putting the blame of delay on the ECP.
On the other hand, Finance minister Ishaq Dar also held a meeting with the ECP officials. He later told the media that procurement and printing of ballot papers should not be left with the government as it would raise question marks on credibility of polls. “It is not possible to print ballot papers within the schedule given by the ECP,” he added.
However, his ministry was ready to provide funds to the ECP for the electoral exercise, he said. “The ECP estimates that it would need more than Rs10 billion for local bodies elections,” he said.
Not legally binding, but being the will of the parliament, the Thursday’s resolution has strengthened the ECP stance, the officials of the legal wing of electoral body said. However, it is not clear if the ECP will once again approach the apex court with yet another request to extend time for holding elections. “The commission is yet to make any decision in this regard till then the schedule is intact” the ECP officials added.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2013.
A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued schedule for holding local government elections in Sindh and Punjab on the order of the Supreme Court, the lower house on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding delay in polls.
The text of the National Assembly resolution does not directly mention the role of the Supreme Court. However, the lawmakers in their speeches not only criticised the court but some leading parliamentarians also demanded to bring constitutional changes to limit the role of judiciary in political and electoral matters.
Interestingly, the assembly in its resolution also included call for postponement of polls in Balochistan, which had completed all homework for polls scheduled on December 7. Contrary to Sindh and Punjab provinces, which had to complete many legal and administrative formalities required to hold the polls, the ECP believed that Balochistan was well poised to go for local bodies’ elections.
This is a bewildering situation for the ECP, which is under strict instructions of apex court to hold polls on the given dates.
The ECP had earlier requested the court to give it more time. It had argued that given the huge task of making pre-requisite arrangements for the gigantic exercise, it was not possible to hold the LG polls on the dates committed by the provinces, i.e., December 7 for Balochistan and Punjab and November 27 for Sindh. The apex court had, however, rejected the plea and held its order.
The ECP on Wednesday notified schedule for Punjab and Sindh LG polls and asked the federal government to coordinate with the provincial governments and ensure printing of around 400 million ballot papers using all possible means that included involving government and private printing presses.
An official, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the ECP believed that it was not possible to hold credible polls on the given dates but the commission had issued the schedule under the court’s pressure.
He said the secretary establishment on Thursday informed the ECP that government could not provide millions of ballot papers, the commission had asked it to procure within the timeframe given in the schedule. The commission then asked him to give the government’s stance in writing. The secretary did so later.
“The ECP has written back to the secretary establishment to do it at any cost. It is court order,” another official of ECP said.
He said the ECP by writing back wanted to make sure that the executive did not escape like it did in the Supreme Court where the provincial government gave in writing the proposed dates for holding polls before they completed the legal requisites, putting the blame of delay on the ECP.
On the other hand, Finance minister Ishaq Dar also held a meeting with the ECP officials. He later told the media that procurement and printing of ballot papers should not be left with the government as it would raise question marks on credibility of polls. “It is not possible to print ballot papers within the schedule given by the ECP,” he added.
However, his ministry was ready to provide funds to the ECP for the electoral exercise, he said. “The ECP estimates that it would need more than Rs10 billion for local bodies elections,” he said.
Not legally binding, but being the will of the parliament, the Thursday’s resolution has strengthened the ECP stance, the officials of the legal wing of electoral body said. However, it is not clear if the ECP will once again approach the apex court with yet another request to extend time for holding elections. “The commission is yet to make any decision in this regard till then the schedule is intact” the ECP officials added.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2013.