Proposals finalised to make CEC all powerful

ISLAMABAD: The sub-committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms Tuesday finalised proposals for giving all the administrative powers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to the Chief Election Commissioner.
The committee also proposed that the CEC will also have powers to make decisions on judicial issues concerning the Commission.
The sub-committee met here with Zahid Hamid in the chair.
The decision to give judicial as well as administrative powers to the CEC was taken to remove the impression of his being powerless in these matters.
Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Zahid Hamid said the Nadra had assured the committee that a person will be registered as voter once he avails himself of the Computerized National Identity Card.
He said at the time of submission of ID cards the voter would be given an option if he wanted to be registered as a voter on his permanent or temporary address.
He said it was also decided that the Nadra will provide the record of newborns and those who had died to the Commission.
According to sources, it is expected that the sub-committee would finalise its task next month and present its report to the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms for final approval.
The sub-committee had examined various proposals about six election laws, namely (i) Delimitation of Constituencies Act, 1974; (ii) Electoral Rolls Act, 1974; (iii) Political Parties Order, 2002: (iv) Allocation of Symbols Order, 2002; (v) Election Commission Order, 2002; and (vi) partly, the Representation of the People Act, 1976 (RoPA).
The sub-committee had considered (i) the Senate (Election) Act 1975; (ii) the Senate (Election) Act 1975 as made applicable to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); (iii) Senate (Election of Members from the Federal Capital) Order 1988; and (iv) constitutional provisions relating to elections.
It considered various constitutional provisions related to elections, including Articles 17 (Freedom of association), 51 (National Assembly), 52 (Duration of National Assembly), 59 (The Senate), 62 and 63 [Qualifications and Disqualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)], 63A (Disqualification on grounds of defection, etc.), 140A (Local Government), 213 (Chief Election Commissioner), 215 (Term of office of Commissioner and members), 217 (Acting Commissioner), 218 (Election Commission), 219 (Duties of Commission), 221 (Officers and servants), 222 (Electoral laws), 223 (Bar against double membership) and 224 (Time of Election and bye-election).
There was consensus on amendments to Articles 59(1)(c), 62(1)[part], 63, 140A, 213, 215, 217, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223 and 224.