ECP has power to reject electoral amendments: Dilshad

LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan has constitutional powers to reject the amendments made by the government to the Election Act 2017 regarding the right to vote to expatriates and introduction of EVMs.

Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, former federal secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and chairman of National Democratic Foundation (NDF), claimed this in an exclusive talk with The News here on Thursday. Kanwar Dilshad served as ECP federal secretary from July 2004 to December 2009. At present, he is the chairman of the NDF which is a think tank creating awareness on electoral laws and is associated with the United Nations. Article 222 of the Constitution of Pakistan (Electoral Laws) empowers the Election Commission of Pakistan to reject any amendments to the Election Laws 2017 even if they are passed by the joint session of parliament and all provincial assemblies, if they are against the provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan, he said.

“The recent amendments made to the Election Act 2017’s clause 103 and 94 are against Article 218, 219 and 222,” he said, adding that these amendments compromised the transparency and secrecy of the ballot and electoral process.