ECP members reject Imran’s demand for resignation

ISLAMABAD: Members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday declined to step down, as demanded by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
Informally talking to a group of media persons on the sidelines of the Election Commission meeting here under the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza, the commission’s spokesperson, Muhammad Iftikhar Raja, said the members would not resign on the demand of Imran.
“There is no justification for any honourable member of the Election Commission to step down after the findings of the inquiry commission have been issued,” he asserted.The electoral body called on the PTI chairman to stop hurling allegations and contribute to electoral reforms to make the process more transparent.
The Election Commission has maintained, ever since the 2013 general election was formally announced, that these were the most credible elections ever held. Needless to say, the local bodies elections will be held under the incumbent set-up.
After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the Election Commission now consists of CEC and four members, one each from the four provinces. A decision on any matter is taken either by the majority members or by consensus.
Meanwhile, representatives from Sindh gave a briefing to the Election Commission on preparations in connection with the upcoming local bodies elections. They urged for holding the electoral exercise in three phases and the first should be held in first week of October, the second any time between October and third week of November, it was learnt.
The Sindh government, represented by the chief secretary, secretary law and secretary local government, explained to the Election Commission that the number of ballot papers had been reduced from six to three, as they proposed to indirectly elect persons on reserved seats of the local government, including women, farmers and youth.
On this occasion, a copy of the election rules was also handed over to the Election Commission. Sindh cited floods and Haj for delaying the local bodies’ elections. In this connection, the forum was informed that the Government of Sindh had already filed an application in the Supreme Court for more time.
In another development, the ECP has again asked the political parties to submit their consolidated statement of audited accounts. The last date for filing such statements by political parties is September 30.
The Election Commission asked the members of parliament and provincial assemblies to file yearly statements of assets and liabilities of their own, their spouses and dependents to the commission. This is a mandatory requirement under Section 42-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 and Section 25-A of the Senate (Elections) Act, 1975.