ECP summons Railways Minister Azam Swati on October 21: sources

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Federal Minister for Railways Azam Swati over his tirade against the election body for opposing the use of EVMs in the next general elections, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the development, the ECP has summoned Azam Swati on October 21 under the charges of contempt of court ordinance. “He will be asked to submit replies under the relevant election acts,” they said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had previously served notices to Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati and Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry over their scathing remarks on the election body for its objection to the use of EVMs in the next general elections.

The ECP has also sought evidence from Azam Swati and Fawad Chaudhry after they levelled allegations against the election body in a press conference.

The notices were issued after a session of the election commission chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Federal Minister Azam Swati had accused the election commission of taking bribes from the companies to manufacture electronic voting machines (EVMs).

“ECP has taken a bribe,” Azam Swati had alleged. “You will go to hell,” he said, pointing to ECP officials who were in attendance in the meeting called to deliberate and vote on two key bills on the use of electronic voting machines in elections and voting rights for overseas Pakistanis.