Rana Sanaullah replaces critic PML-N lawmaker in ECP-related parliamentary body

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday inducted party leader Rana Sanaullah in the parliamentary committee formed for the appointment of the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY NEWS reported.

The party replaced the incumbent member and federal lawmaker Nisar Ahmed Cheema, after he was found criticizing the party leadership over policy matters.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court (SC) office has returned a petition of the opposition’s Rehbar Committee moved to seek an order for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The court office returned the petition by raising objections that Rehbar Committee has not moved to the concerned forum on the matter which cannot be heard directly by the Supreme Court. It was also stated that the certificate provided with the petition did not meet the legal requirements.

Earlier on January 1, the Supreme Court was moved against the government’s possible move to bring in a presidential ordinance to amend rules of the parliamentary panel tasked with deciding nominees for the posts of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

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A petition moved in the apex court states that the government wants to appoint CEC and two members from Sindh and Balochistan of its choice by way of amending rules of the panel, which now require a two-thirds majority for the purpose.

It submitted that the government is trying to replace the word “two-thirds majority” with “simple majority”, which it said would be a violation of Article 213 and 218 of the country’s Constitution.