Alleged misconduct: SJC throws out reference against ECP members

Rejects reference filed by PTI’s Gohar Nawaz Sindhu for lack of solid evidence

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Monday rejected a reference seeking disqualification of four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The reference — filed by Gohar Nawaz Sindhu of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Lawyers Forum in his individual capacity — had sought termination of the ECP members for their alleged misconduct and malpractices in conducting the 2013 parliamentary elections.

Sindhu told The Express Tribune that though he has not seen the written order, he has been told that SJC Chairman Anwar Zaheer Jamali has rejected his reference for want of solid evidence.

Sindhu filed the reference on August 26 under Article 209 of the Constitution seeking disqualification of the responsible members of the top poll supervisory body. The four ECP members, as well as four provincial election commissioners, were made respondents.

He questioned whether the flaws, illegalities and irregularities observed in the Judicial Commission Report 2015 on the General Elections 2013 could cause disqualification of the responsible members of the ECP.

Similarly, the applicant submitted that the election tribunals declared the elections in NA-125 and NA-122 as null and void after detailed and thorough trials and found many irregularities on the part of the ECP which called for disqualification of its members.

On the other hand, the PTI could not take a decision about the filing of a reference against the ECP members, a senior member of the party revealed to The Express Tribune.

Earlier, PTI senior leader Ishaq Khan Khakwani, who was head of the taskforce constituted to plead the PTI case in front of the Judicial Commission, had sent a written proposal to party chief Imran Khan, stating that ECP’s four members were in part responsible for not holding the last elections as per the law.

Moreover, he claimed that the incumbent chief election commissioner, Justice Sardar Raza, is facing opposition from four other members of the commission in responding to Imran’s July 30 letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2015.