Islamabad:
The Federal Minister of Law, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said that the current chief electoral commissioner (CEC), Sikander Sultan Raja, could continue to exercise his functions until the appointment of his successor, in accordance with the Constitution.
“The new CEC will be appointed in accordance with the Constitution, which also allows a CEC to continue doing its job until a new CEC is appointed,” Tarar said in a statement on Friday.
The CEC’s constitutional mandate will end on January 26 and the leaders of the opposition to the National Assembly and the Senate, Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, have already written separate letters, demanding the formation of a parliamentary commission charged to examine the applications to provide the post. Key post.
In his letter to the President of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, Omar called to intensify efforts for the appointment of the members of the Electoral Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of Sindh and Balutchistan, because their mandate will also expire on January 26.
Referring to article 213 of the Constitution, he urged the formation of a parliamentary commission as soon as possible to launch the process of appointment of the CEC, affirming that there should be no delay under any pretext .
Shibli Faraz, in his letter to the president of the Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, also underlined the need to form a parliament and to provide the seats of the two members of Sindh and Balutchistan.
Article 213 stipulates that the Prime Minister must, in consultation with the head of the opposition to the National Assembly, submit three names for the appointment of the CEC to a parliamentary commission for hearing and confirmation of each person.
“On condition that in the event of lack of consensus between the Prime Minister and the opposition chief, each transmitted separate lists to the parliamentary committee for examination, which can confirm one or the other of the names.
