Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited the opposition leader in the Omar Ayub National Assembly for a meeting to discuss the appointment of the Chief of Elections Commissioner (CEC) and other members of the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP).
In a letter on Wednesday, the prime minister stressed that the term of CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with two other members, Nisar Ahmad Durrani of Sindh and Shah Muhammad Jatoi de Baluchistan, ended on January 26. However, they have continued to serve under article 215 of the Constitution.
The letter indicated that, according to article 218, the proposals for the new CEC and the members must be sent to the parliamentary committee.
The appointment process for the CEC and the members of the ECP is described in article 213 of the Constitution, which requires that the prime minister and the opposition leader jointly propose three names to the President for approval.
In case of disagreement between the two, the Pinister and the prime opposition leader will present their individual nominations for a parliamentary committee.
After this, the president of the National Assembly will establish a 12 -member committee, with the same representation of the Government and the opposition banks. Then, the Committee will select a nominee to send the President for approval, ideally by consensus.
According to article 217, if the term of the CEC expires, the highest member of the Commission will assume the duties of the electoral chief commissioner. If the senior member is not available, the next senior member will take care of the responsibilities.
