ISLAMABAD: Electoral reformation committee approved major amendments in election regulations on Friday (today) that allowed appointment of retired or on-duty government officer at the post of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
Electoral reformation committee formed by the federal government approved recommendations for amendments in electoral laws in Pakistan. The recommendations include appointment of retired, on-duty government officer and technocrat for the post of Chief Election Commission (CEC).
The committee also approved recommendations for amendments in Article 218 for appointment of members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Article 213 to appoint CEC.
ECP members would be allowed not to leave position at the same time while they will be retired as senators. Two out of overall four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will retire after after 2.5 years.
Sources said that it was also recommended to dissolve special authority of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to appoint acting Chief Election Commission (CEC). Moreover, ECP senior member will be appointed as acting CEC instead of a judge of the Supreme Court (SC).
The recommendations stated that an amendment will also be made in regulations that differentiate eligibility and ineligibility of a parliamentarian while changing would be made in Article 63-O in the Constitution. An election candidate would be restricted to submit his / her income tax particulars along with nomination papers while any parliamentarian could be declared ineligible over non-payment of income tax. ERC also recommended to reduce term of the national and provincial assemblies up to four years instead of five years.
