IHC dismisses plea after appointment of CEC, two members in ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday dismissed a petition regarding appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two members after the government’s reply about appointments in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported.

The federal government in its reply informed the high court that the government and the opposition have agreed over the names of the CEC and two members of the election commission.

Petitioner Mohsin Ranjha during the hearing said, ” Credit goes to the court.” “The credit goes to the people of Pakistan,” Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah responded.

“The Parliament is supreme state institution, which have representatives of the people. A strong Parliament will make Pakistan strong,” the top judge remarked.

It is to be mentioned here that the government on Friday notified Sikandar Sultan Raja as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) for a five-year term.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs issued a notification after President Arif Alvi signed the appointment under Article 213 and 215 read with Article 48 of the Constitution.

The appointment of Nasir Durrani and Shah Mohammad Jatoi as members of the Election Commission of Pakistan from Sindh and Balochistan respectively were also confirmed and notified by the ministry .

The appointments come in light of the November 2, 2019, order issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Earlier, President Alvi had appointed Khalid Mehmood Siddiqui as ECP member for Sindh and Munir Ahmed Kakar for Balochistan against the ECP vacancies.

The decision was challenged in the Islamabad High Court and suspended by the court.

The court on January 15, had granted 10 more days to the government to finalise the ECP appointments.

The government and the opposition reached to an agreement recently deciding the vacancies of the CEC and two members of the election commission.