No signs of process for appointment of new CEC, two members

ISLAMABAD: There appears no signs of initiation of the process for appointment of new chief election commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commission members, as the constitutional deadline of 45 days has already passed.

Given deep political polarisation, there has been no hint of a contact between prime minister and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly to deliberate on new names. Likewise, the parliamentary committee, which lays the basis for finalising the related appointments, has not been formed despite an earlier announcement by the National Assembly speaker.

The appointment process requires consultation between the prime minister and leader of the opposition, who must agree on nominee(s) for the vacant position(s). If a consensus is reached, the proposed names are sent to the parliamentary committee for approval. In case of disagreement, each side submits three names per position, and then the committee has to take the final decision.

The parliamentary committee consists of 12 members, six each from the government and the opposition. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, it is learnt, is mulling to move court on this matter, as it has already repeatedly expressed no-trust in the incumbent Election Commission.

The five-year term of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja ended on January 26, along with two other members of the Election Commission i.e. Nisar Ahmad Durrani (Sindh) and Shah Muhammad Jatoi (Balochistan).

Either a former Supreme Court judge, retired bureaucrat or technocrat are eligible for the slot of chief election commissioner. Similarly, a retired high court judge, retired bureaucrat, or technocrat can make it to become member of the Election Commission.