No ECP member to resign till SJC verdict: CEC

ISLAMABAD: The chief election commissioner (CEC) on Monday made it clear that no Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) member would resign before the verdict of the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC) which was hearing the proceedings on a petition filed by the Lawyers Forum of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the ECP members.
Moreover, the ECP members hinted at proceeding against those who, according to them, had systematically ridiculed and stigmatised them with what they alleged were false and baseless charges of being involved in poll rigging.
They informally met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza here at the ECP Secretariat on the issue of resignations demanded by some political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
The ECP issued a short statement on the deliberations. “It was decided that since the Lawyers Forum of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has already filed a reference in the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC) under Article 209 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which is the proper and competent forum for deciding such matters/issues, therefore, the ECP members would not take any decision about their resignations till the final decision of the SJC,” it said.
“For the reason that they (members) have been systematically ridiculed and stigmatised with false and baseless allegations of rigging about which they strongly feel to be adjudicated upon,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the ECP issued the by-election schedule for NA-122 (Lahore) and NA-154 (Lodhran), fixing October 11 for polling.
These seats fell vacant after the respective election tribunals headed by Kazim Ali Malik and Rana Zahid declared the elections on these seats in 2013 election void. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N’s Ayaz Sadiq had returned from NA-122 and Siddique Baloch from NA-154.
As per the schedule, nomination papers can be filed on September 10-11 while scrutiny of the same will be conducted on September 14-15.
The last date for filing of appeals for acceptance and rejection of nomination papers is September 19 and candidates have the option of withdrawal of nomination papers by September 21 and on the same day, the final list of the candidates will be issued.
For NA-122, Regional Election Commissioner Ahmad Nawaz been appointed district returning officer while District Election Commissioner Muzaffargarh Zahid Iqbal has been made returning officer, whereas there will be three assistant returning officers for the conduct of by-polls.
Similarly, for NA-154, Regional Election Commissioner, Multan, Ghulam Israr Khan, has been appointed the district returning officer, whereas Aamir Ishfaq will be the returning officer.
There will be two assistant returning officers to be part of the proposed poll process.