LHC unhappy with ECP’s preparedness

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday expressed concern over what it termed inadequate preparations by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the upcoming Senate elections.

Hearing petitions against the election process, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah took exception to the lack of a proper mechanism to scrutinise candidates with regard to tax default and provisions of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The judge summoned the ECP secretary on Wednesday (today). He said the elections were around the corner and the ECP was yet to rouse from deep slumber.

He said holding elections without a mechanism to gauge the qualification of candidates would be like playing a joke on the nation.

Justice Shah directed the ECP secretary to explain his position in the case.

Advocate Shahid Pervez Jami had filed the petitions pointing out various flaws in the election process.

The petitioners said the polls were being held against outdated nomination papers. They said many columns in the nomination papers had become obsolete. Scrutiny of a candidate could not be carried out properly due to such nomination papers, Jami said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2015.